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Collingwood players and staff with the Aboriginal flag.Credit:Collingwood Football Club/Twitter

The AFL Commission has not adopted a formal position on potentially changing the date,although the league has advocated for the Recognise campaign around constitutional recognition for Indigenous people in the past.

Richmond,considered a leader among clubs in Indigenous relations with their Korin Gamadji Institute,partnered with the Victorian Treaty Advancement Commission in 2019.

On Wednesday,the Magpies posted a photo of players and staff posing in front of the Aboriginal flag and made a strong statement,as key forward Mason Cox said he had decided not to become an Australian citizen on January 26 as he thought it would be culturally insensitive to do so.

The Magpies’ statement read:“The Collingwood Football Club acknowledges that today represents a day of sadness and sorrow for many of Australia’s First Nations people. Freeing the Aboriginal flag is a great example of leadership roles that our institutions can play in supporting matters that are important to our people.

“As a club,we are committed to working towards a day where all Australians can celebrate together. This will acknowledge the true story of this great country and be inclusive of all.

“Always was,always will be.”

Clubs also acknowledged the federal government deal that will allow the league todisplay the Aboriginal flag on grounds and club jumpers after the government resolved copyright issues pertaining to its use in a deal with the flag’s creator,Harold Thomas.

Carlton,criticised for being unwilling to take a position before the same-sex marriage plebiscite in September 2017,drew ire from some supporters for the neutrality of their post which acknowledged the distress the day caused but merely called for a discussion on the issue of when Australia Day should be celebrated.

Indigenous Carlton player Zac Williams made his views clear on Instagram,posting:“Australia Day has been a nationally recognised public holiday on Jan 26 since 1994. Aboriginal people have been marching on Jan 26 since 1938. Let that sink in.”

Although the AFL had only become aware of the copyright agreement on Tuesday morning when federal Minister for Indigenous Relations Ken Wyatt made the announcement,it is likely the Aboriginal flag will once again be prominently displayed in Sir Doug Nicholls Round and other occasions.

The AFL’s inclusion and social policy officer,Tanya Hosch,said the league was grateful for the work others had done to ensure Australians could use the flag in a respectful and dignified manner.

“It’s great that we will have that freedom to profile the flag in a prominent way again because the feedback from Aboriginal people has always been that it is something they look forward to seeing,” Hosch said.

“Its absence felt big for people after so many years of having it in the centre circle.”

Hosch said the AFL’s role in highlighting the issue when it made headlines in 2020 was minor but she was glad a resolution had been reached,with many AFL clubs using their social media accounts to celebrate the news.

“All we really did was support players and teams to wear the ‘Free The Flag’ T-shirt and be part of that conversation,” Hosch said.

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