AFL to plough funds into addressing racism as league grapples with Indigenous drop-off

• First Nations impact fund will receive around $300,000 this season

• Indigenous careers one year shorter than non-Indigenous players

The AFL will divert around $300,000 from Indigenous guernsey sales towards initiatives designed to address culturally unsafe environments and racism, as the league grapples with a growing trend of First Nations players leaving the game.

The number of Indigenous players in the league has dropped every year since its peak of 87 in 2020, to now where it sits at 62. Under its five-year strategy drafted last year, the AFL has targeted an increase to 89 by 2030.