Timestamp Tue 23 Jan 2018, 05:47 PM
Johnathan Thurston's call for a "national chat" around Australia Day is causing waves throughout the game, with several influential rugby league figures applauding the North Queensland Cowboys co-captain's stance on the polarising issue.
Thurston's push for further education and understanding around the January 26 date, which has made headlines for the negative connotations invoked for many indigenous Australians, has gained significant traction since the 34-year-old spoke out on NRL.com on Monday.
ARL Commissioner Megan Davis, who also serves as an expert on human rights for the UN, described Thurston as a "marvellous asset to our code and a wonderful role model".
Indigenous All Stars forward Joel Thompson tweeted the story with a simple message of ''truth'', while former NRL star Willie Mason and Melbourne's Sandor Earl also voiced their support for Thurston's comments on Twitter.
Ex-players Dean Widders and Jamie Soward have shown support for Thurston's cause, which has attracted more than 4000 likes in the 24 hours since being shared from the NRL's official Facebook account, while Jillaroos World Cup winner Lavina O'Mealey said Thurston's stance had prompted her own "conversations" with family and friends.
Widders, now an indigenous pathways manager with the NRL after having enjoyed a 159-game career, applauded Thurston for his "sensible" approach to a topic that has created heated national debate.
"I think JT's comments, and how he said his piece, was a really smart way to go about it and a good step," Widders told NRL.com.
"It's all about having that conversation, learning more and understanding more and coming to some sort of agreement all together eventually.
"As JT was saying [January 26] can be a tough day for a lot of indigenous, and people come to understand that through more learning and the conversation he was talking about."
Widders did however take issue with the suggestion from Aboriginal activist Joe Williams, who urged Thurston to consider refusing to stand for the national anthem should he be crowned Australian of the Year this week.
"One thing to make clear though is we shouldn't be putting pressure on JT, or anyone, to be sitting down through anthems or anything like that," Widders said in reference to the former South Sydney Rabbitohs halfback's suggestion.
"All he's asking for is a conversation starter. No-one needs to put more pressure on him, or that he should do this or he should do that.
"He's said a really smart thing in that we need to be having more conversations and more understanding about cultural sensitivities.
"But there's no need to be putting pressure on people to go on beyond that."
Soward, a three-time Indigenous All Star during a 231-game career with the Sydney Roosters, St George Illawarra Dragons and Penrith Panthers, commended Thurston's work for the indigenous community for which he has been nominated for Australian of the Year honours.
"That's a massive achievement for him, and not just him but rugby league in general," Soward said.
"I think sometimes it can be lost that JT is doing a fantastic thing for his community, but this could open doors. Everyone knows who Johnathan Thurston is now.
"Johnathan has been an exemplary athlete and person for such a long time, for him to be up for an award like this is opening more doors and conversations, having him up for the award is progressing not just rugby league, but also those important conversations for us as a sport and a nation."
For O'Mealey, a proud Indigenous woman with Bidgigal and Bunjalung heritage, Thurston's leadership has prompted her own plans to tackle the touchy subject among the Australian women's team.
The Jillaroos will play a tournament on February 23-24 at Redcliffe’s Dolphin Oval, which is being staged in the lead-up to the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April.
"It's given me a platform to speak about the date actually, a bit of courage to talk to friends and people in my community and hopefully give not just black, but white people as well, a bit of an olive branch in a conversation that needs to be had," O'Mealey said.
"I was talking about it today with my colleagues and I'll go into [Jillaroos] camp and it's a conversation I'd like to have with my teammates and see what they think about it.
"No disrespect or preaching, just a conversation as mates."
Replies
SACK VINCE!!!
Well, it pretty obvious it’s going to gain support, Snake! However, most of those throwing their support are other indigenous current or ex players and of course the NRL body as they don’t want to rock the boat or come across as racist. It’s rather all just ‘political humdrum’. There is no rock solid evidence to even suggest this land was invaded by the British and if it was then the indigenous people of this land have no land rights and the Mabo decision can be thrown out the window as well. If the date was changed (which it shouldn’t be) they still won’t be satisfied with that and it will be an admission that the nation was invaded when in actual fact it wasn’t.
wow, and the mind of a high court judge. WTF, you ignorant SOB.
MABO was about Terra Nullius. Terra Nullius was how the British claimed the continent. Which was proven to be incorrect by the High Court.
I am glad you are not my accountant MA. You are an imbecile.
Monto staring history shows it was not an invasion without evidence
Vince is purely quoting the high court - which is not evidence or history but a legal ruling based on today’s laws
If anything the debate breaks down when people resort to insults rather than evidence.....
Wow, Frenchman such foul language from a juvenile delinquent. Perhaps you should go back to school and learn some real history and perhaps some manners whilst your at it. It certainly wouldn’t go astray, or are you just used to talking to other people in a common jungle vocabulary.
stick to the facts MA, reply to MABO and Terra Nullius you neanderthal.
Frenchman, The High Court Mabo decision relied solely upon the ‘Fact’ that this nation Australia was ‘settled’ and not ‘invaded’ as it appears the majority of modern day ‘indigenous’ ( led by the Labour lefty’s and Greens) are continually pushing through the media.
The Mabo decision would have not even made to the High Court IF Australia was in fact ‘invaded’ by the British and Eddie Mabo would have had no success for his people. If you read my earlier comments correctly, Frenchman there would have been no need for you to resort to your lower human tendencies.
”As one of the 193 member states of the United Nations, Australia is not exempt from this doctrine.
Yet we do recognise separate land rights because the historic Mabo Decision in 1992 rested on the correct presumption that Australia was settled, not invaded.
In their ruling, Justices Brennan, Deane, Gaudron, Toohey, Mason and McHugh acknowledged that native title could have been intentionally extinguished by the use of government powers, but wasn't.
They proceeded to reject the 'terra nullius' doctrine without overturning the traditional view that the Australian landmass had in fact been settled.
Had Australia actually been invaded, the descendants of its native population would be classified as a conquered people and their land rights would be abolished under UN Resolution 3314.
Greens leader Richard Di Natale might like to explain to the Australian people why he is attempting to undermine native title by implying that Australia was invaded and conquered.
On 26 January 1788, there was no sovereign state on the landmass we today call Australia. The land was sparsely populated with disparate nomadic tribes without a written language and a central government.
Well Vince, awkward isn't it, when your dribbling lefty Neanderthal attitude is faced with facts. Any normal person would be embarrassed, but I guess Antifa will still be proud of you.
I think its quite racist that the Aboriginals didnt welcome us of the boats. There is a lot of hatred towards us whites . The Aboriginals really should be thanking us after all we did give them alcohol.
I’m sure the indigenous people of Australia would have some alternative drug before ‘alcohol’ was brought to these shores.
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