Gavin Wanganeen was the first Aboriginal man to rack the 300-game milestone in the AFL and the first Indigenous player to captain Port Adelaide.

PORT ADELAIDE has had a long and proud history of Indigenous representation, which will be celebrated at Saturday’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round match against Hawthorn.

For the first time since 2013, and the first time since moving to Adelaide Oval, the club will host a home game in the AFL’s Indigenous Round.

Port will run out in a specially designed guernsey which celebrates Indigenous culture and history, and the 62 Indigenous players to have represented the club at league level.

Their names will feature in small boomerangs spread across the guernsey.

Here are some key facts around Port Adelaide’s Indigenous players:

FIRST: Harry Hewitt was the first Indigenous player to play for the club, way back in 1891. His one senior game came against VFA giants Fitzroy at Adelaide Oval on August 1, 1891.

MOST RECENT: Defender Joel Garner is the most recent Indigenous player to debut for the club. The 21-year-old played in the win over Gold Coast in Round 9, 2019.

5618: The total number of games played by the 62 Port Adelaide Indigenous players. 1779 of those were played at SANFL level, the remaining 3839 at AFL level. Former captain Gavin Wanganeen leads the list with 300 AFL and 27 SANFL games.

4555: The total number of goals kicked by the 62 Port Adelaide Indigenous players. 1394 came at SANFL level, 3161 at AFL level. Former Port player and current Hawthorn player Shaun Burgoyne has kicked more than any other player with 298. Only four of those goals came in the SANFL.

PREMIERSHIPS: The 62 Indigenous players have won 27 premierships between them with 15 in the SANFL and 12 in the AFL. Only four of those AFL premierships have been with Port Adelaide. Burgoyne’s four AFL premierships are the most, although three were with Hawthorn with Byron Pickett (one with North Melbourne), Andrew McLeod (two with Adelaide) and Gavin Wanganeen’s two AFL premierships (one with Essendon) are next best. Wanganeen also won a SANFL premiership, as did McLeod. The late Richie Bray claimed three SANFL premierships in 1962, 1963 and 1965.

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"Bukko Tjidna" - Bare Foot | PTV

A design that proudly honours those who came before us as we respectfully walk alongside the footprints of our ancestors, telling the stories of old and opening new conversations around Indigenous relations.

BEST AND FAIREST: Eight best and fairest awards have been won by the group of 62 players. Andrew McLeod’s three for Adelaide have him ranked at the top with all other winners claiming one each.

CAPTAINS: Two Indigenous players have captained Port Adelaide. Wanganeen in the AFL from 1997-2000 and Corey Ah Chee in the SANFL in 2008 and 2009.

ALL-AUSTRALIAN: A total of 15 All-Australian honours have been bestowed upon the 62 Indigenous Port Adelaide players. Wanganeen and McLeod have claimed the most with five each. Chad Wingard has claimed two while Shaun Burgoyne, Byron Pickett and Paddy Ryder each made the side once.  

HALL OF FAME: Two of the players on the list of 62 Indigenous representatives at Port Adelaide are in the club’s Hall of Fame. Gavin Wanganeen was inducted in his own right while Richie Bray is part of the 1962, 63 and 65 teams that were inducted as a collective.

SEVEN: There are currently seven Indigenous players on the Port Adelaide list. They are Steven Motlop, Karl Amon, Sam Powell-Pepper, Jarrod Lienert, Joel Garner, Tobin Cox and Trent Burgoyne.

**this article includes games, goals and awards gained at other clubs as well as Port Adelaide**