PORT Adelaide will travel to Alice Springs to face Melbourne for a third consecutive season in 2016.

The Round 10 game will form part of Indigenous Round – which has this morning been renamed Sir Doug Nicholls Round, honouring the achievements and contributions of one of the country’s great Aboriginal people.

CAPITAL CLASH: Power in Canberra

Port Adelaide CEO Keith Thomas welcomed the AFL’s announcement to rename the round.

“It’s a great way of recognising the remarkable contribution of Sir Doug Nicholls, an exceptional man and ground breaking leader of our community ” Thomas said.

“As a club, we have a strong focus on Aboriginal health, culture and education, and are represented by some of the most talented and exciting young indigenous players in the country. The Sir Doug Nicholls round will be embraced and celebrated by us all.”

ROUND 1: Power to host Saints

Thomas was also pleased the Power would be returning to Alice Springs for the third ever AFL match played at Traeger Park – all three between the Power and Demons.

“The locals in the area have shown the club and the game great support over the past few years and we look forward to getting back up there and sharing our game with that community.”

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the Commission felt Sir Doug was a truly worthy person to be recognised.

“Sir Doug Nicholls is the great untold story of Australian football, and he represented both the values of our game and epitomised the spirit of reconciliation,” McLachlan said.

“He was the first Indigenous player to represent Victoria at state level, while playing for Fitzroy, and during his life he was an elite runner, boxer, Churches of Christ Pastor, Justice of the Peace, was awarded both the MBE (1957) and the OBE (1968) before being knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 1972, and served as governor South Australia.

“He was a pioneering campaigner for reconciliation but his love for and commitment to Australian football was the glue that brought together all the other facets of his life."

ANZAC ROUND: Power to host Cats

The Round 10 game is the fourth Power fixture to be announced ahead of tomorrow’s AFL Fixture launch.

Port Adelaide will open the season on Easter Sunday against the Saints, travel to Canberra to face the Giants in Round 4 and host the Cats on Saturday night in Round 5 as part of Anzac Round.

Sir Doug Nicholls Round
Friday May 27
Sydney Swans v North Melbourne at the SCG, 7.50pm
Saturday May 28
Brisbane Lions v Hawthorn at the Gabba, 1.45pm
Melbourne v Port Adelaide at TIO Traeger Park, 1.40pm
St Kilda v Fremantle at Etihad Stadium, 4.35pm
Adelaide Crows v GWS Giants at Adelaide Oval, 7.10pm
Essendon v Richmond at the MCG, 7.25pm
Sunday May 29
Carlton v Geelong Cats at Etihad Stadium, 1.10pm
West Coast v Gold Coast Suns at Domain Stadium, 2.40pm
Collingwood v Western Bulldogs at the MCG, 3.20pm

Sir Doug Nicholls, 1906-88 – further information:
• Born in 1906 on the Cummeragunja Aboriginal Mission in New South Wales.
• Nicholls joined Northcote FC in the VFA in 1927. He played in the club’s maiden VFA premiership team in 1929 and its Grand Final teams of 1930 and 1931. He later coached the club after WW2.
• Joined the Fitzroy Football Club in 1932 and in 1935 he represented the VFL as a state player –the first Aboriginal player to do so.
• Played 54 games for Fitzroy 1932-37, kicking two goals.
• As a runner, won the Warracknabeal Gift in 1928 and the Nyah Gift. He came second in the Wangaratta and Shepparton Gifts and fourth in the Melbourne Thousand.
• As a boxer, boxed with Jimmy Sharman’s boxing troupe, winning many showground tent fights as he toured around Australia.
• First indigenous person to be knighted (only VFL/AFL footballer).
• First indigenous person to hold vice-regal office in Australia (only VFL/AFL footballer).
• Served as Governor of South Australia from 1/12/76 until his resignation on 30/4/77, due to ill health.
• Great grandfather of former Essendon player Nathan Lovett-Murray.