You can argue about where Doug Nicholls football record places him in the scheme of great football players (yeah, he was probably no Barry Cable) but none of us ever saw him play. Still, to play for your state after only 50 odd games and finish 3rd in a Brownlow does attest to some kind of ability, and while he's not the only indigenous player to have played in state competitions in the first half of the previous century, he'd be amongst the few pioneers.
Outside of football, you could also argue (perhaps there's a better word than argue) about how significant a figure he is in Australian history. Or to take up
Nelson's ANZAC analogy you might want to compare the importance of ANZAC day in Australian history with say, the importance of the '67 Referendum, and the decades of campaigning leading up to it which Doug Nicholls played a significant role. That '67 referendum which recognized aboriginal people as citizens of Australia, rather than some curious entry in the flora and fauna classifications - as Grant Hansen eloquently explained on "The Marngrook Footy Show" in the discussions following the 1st of the two Adam Goodes booing embarrassments at Subiaco.
Does an opposition team playing Fremantle "like" that the ANZAC Day game is renamed, with the AFL's permission - the Len Hall Tribute Game, when they could honor one of their own veterans (someone from the eastern states - if I'm following the argument being put forward in this thread so far...or maybe even some obscure ANZAC from New Zealand. Why be so parochial about it?) Hell, why not even name the game after some concientious objector. Crikey, there must have been a one or two of those somewhere along the line who could kick the pigskin too.
This is a pretty good read on Doug Nicholls (over 3 pages)
www.theage.com.au/news/national/a-lastin...7/1140151816836.html Has page links 2 & 3.
Or just read this quote:
“I want to suggest three things why you should bother about the Aborigines. Firstly, we belong to great family of God and he had made out of one blood all nations of men. Secondly, why you should bother about the Aborigines, we’re a part of the great British Commonwealth of nations. And thirdly, we want to walk with you, we don’t wish to walk alone.”
- Pastor Doug Nicholls from a sermon at Grove St Church Northcote (circa 1957?)