Walking the path as an Indigenous player in Queensland rugby is no longer a solo step into the unknown as Reds youngster Floyd Aubrey is proudly discovering.
There will always be more to do but nurturing the state’s Indigenous talent both on and off the field has never resonated more strongly.
He can look to Renae Nona proudly represented her heritage as a Torres Strait Islander playing flyhalf for the Queensland Reds during the Super W season.
Or new Wallaroos prop Madi Schuck finding a powerful connection to her culture through rugby that was denied her early in life.
Singing the national anthem in the language of Yugambeh country, as well as English, while wearing a gold Indigenous jersey was one of the proudest moments of her life last week when she faced Japan on the Gold Coast.
Aubrey can also look to Reds squadmate Connor Vest or University of Queensland’s fast-stepping, premiership-winning brothers Kye and BJ Oates.
The Reds Future Indigenous Leaders Program (FILP), backed by Rio Tinto, is a long-standing and award-winning program off the field.
The sense of a shared journey hits Aubrey, just 19 and in his first season of striving as a Reds squad player.
The young Wakka Wakka man from Murgon loves the latest jersey for the Reds’ Indigenous Round match against Moana Pasifika at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
“It looks pretty mad. It’s a good design and I like how it represents the fellas with the darker colours, the women with the pink and purple and the river where they meet,” Aubrey said.
Australia’s bid chief Phil Kearns has highlighted that fostering the growth of rugby in Indigenous communities is a legacy goal now the 2027 and 2029 Rugby World Cups are headed Down Under.
“It was good to hear that acknowledgement and our culture getting out to the world,” Aubrey added.
“I think it’s important me playing at the Reds. There are a lot of black fellas representing in the NRL. It’s good to have players in Super Rugby for young fellas to see like Dylan Pietsch, Triston (Reilly), the Brumbies winger (Andy Muirhead) and, now he’s coming back, Kurtley Beale.”
“Hopefully, I can inspire other young fellas to represent their people and Queensland.”
The young fullback-winger played in the trials to open the season and was on the bench for the Chiefs game without getting on the field for his debut.
“It was a mad feeling with the crowd and the team around me and family in the stands. You dream of that stuff. It was just good to soak it up,” Aubrey said.
His rugby education continues with GPS where 2021’s Colt of the Year is pure excitement to watch with his sidestep, anticipation and zeal to attack. He'll definitely earn a crack with the Junior Wallabies on the Gold Coast in July.
The Reds’ Indigenous celebration tonight is part of the themed Culture Round across Super Rugby Pacific.
It resonates with young Reds halfback Kalani Thomas, who has stepped up as a Reds Indigenous Program ambassador.
“We represent Australia’s Indigenous people with this jersey and I represent my Maori heritage as well. All the boys are keen to wear the jersey because it means something to all of us,” Thomas said.
“I joined the Reds Indigenous Program because I wanted to give back to the community. I knew what it was like as a kid wanting to meet Super Rugby players.
“It’s also wanting to learn about the culture having grown up with many Indigenous mates (at Ipswich Grammar).”
Thomas has visited Cherbourg, the Aboriginal community that is also part of Aubrey’s story, just a few kilometres from Murgon.
“I met a lot of little kids. No matter what their situation they found fun with it and most were running around without shoes on the hard ground,” Thomas said.
Jersey designer Taleisha Harrison is a participant in the Future Indigenous Leaders Program which mentors students from Grade 6 to 10.
The program’s nurturing methods encourage better attendance and positive behaviour at school and in the community.
For Harrison, being able to bring to life stories told to her by her mother makes the jersey of personal significance.
The pink and purple represent the women, the red and black the men. The kangaroo prints beside the river signify her home of Woorabinda which means Kangaroo Sit Down.
