School of Historical and Philosophical Studies - Theses

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Author: Cazaly, Ciannon Sarah Helen × Start date: 2010 × Type: PhD thesis × Subject: history ×

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    Playing the game: the experiences of migrant-background players in Australian rules football
    Cazaly, Ciannon Sarah Helen ( 2013)
    This thesis explores the experiences of migrant-background players in Australian football. These players come from a variety of different backgrounds and playing eras and all have very different experiences of playing the game. Drawing on interviews, as well as biographies of well-known players and news reporting, this thesis explores their introduction to the game and the reason they developed an interest in football. It places their experiences within the Australian social and political context of changing attitudes towards migration and the expectations of assimilation held by many Australians during the period. It explores the challenges they faced as children participating in the game. It examines the racism they experienced upon reaching the elite level of the competition and the ways they dealt with it. Drawing upon masculinity theory, it argues that the racism that migrant-background players experienced was an everyday aspect of the game and reflected the existing social system of challenging and asserting toughness and ability to play the game. An examination of the experience of a small cohort of migrant-background players from Ireland provides insight into the support that clubs have and have not provided to players from different backgrounds. The thesis then examines the situation for newer migrant-background players in the game today, the nature of the AFL’s involvement in encouraging diversity in the game, and migrant-background groups that continue to be left out of football. It argues that the AFL and the football community can and should learn from the experiences of past migrant-background players in the game when developing formal programs for encouraging newer migrants in the game today, fulfilling its goal of promoting diversity in the game and in broader Australia society.