Presented by AFL legend, Michael O’Loughlin a Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri, Narungga man, and directed by Indigenous academic and filmmaker, Larissa Behrendt, the documentary explores the strength of Indigenous players, their connection to the game and how it helps them navigate racism.
Also sharing their stories are current AFL players Michael “Sonny” Walters, a Proud Noongar man from the Fremantle Dockers, and up-and-coming North Melbourne young gun Tarryn Thomas, a Kamillaroi and Lumaranaana man from Sydney.
Hushidar Kharas, head of Prime Video Australia and New Zealand says that he is “proud” to showcase the stories of Indigenous AFL players, their culture and the adversities they face every day.
Warriors On The Field provides an insight into life as a young Aboriginal man through Michael O’Loughlin’s childhood, playing backyard footy as he dreamed of playing in the AFL. Michael speaks with younger AFL players and their families to hear their stories and learn about the challenges in making their mark on the game.
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“I believe this documentary shows the positive impact the sport has had on my life and the lives of many before me,” says O’Loughlin.
“We must listen and learn from our past and present-day First Nations players who are best placed on these issues in our sport and society.”
The documentary project was envisioned by AFL Executive General Manager Inclusion and Social Policy, Tanya Hosch, as she believed that it was crucial to continually highlight and celebrate the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to Australian Football.
“Our game has a rich history with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, so I’m looking forward to enabling others to share in this understanding and insight through the Warriors On The Field documentary,” she said.
Warriors On The Field will be released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video.