Liam Jurrah's story and his disappointingly abbreviated,yet brilliant,career was many things to Melbourne and football. Of all the things said of what he was to the game and the club,the one that stands out now is loss. Perhaps regret,too. He might be the greatest talent lost from Melbourne. He was not an unfulfilled talent,he was a talent denied a full career.
The reasons for that loss are nuanced and complex yet informative still for Melbourne as they continue to try to better understand their people and players.
Melbourne on Wednesday launched a Reconciliation Action Plan,a document that maps out actions and approaches as they culturally educate their people and map out a path of action to support players from Indigenous communities coming into the club.
Jurrah left the club in 2012 amid a complex family and tribal dispute. He has had stints in jail for violent incidents but is now out and living in Alice Springs and playing football for South Alice. He was in Melbourne on Wednesday for the launch of the RAP.