Former Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams has named Gavin Wanganeen as the greatest Indigenous player to play in the AFL.
Wanganeen, who played under Williams during Port Adelaide's premiership in 2004, won a Brownlow Medal and two premierships over his illustrious 300-game career.
“Without any doubt, Gavin Wanganeen is the best player I’ve coached and certainly the best Aboriginal player that I’ve seen,” Williams told SEN SA Breakfast.
“To be able to play back, forward or through the midfield … I still reflect, and I know it sounds crazy, but at times I felt at training that as he went past me with his feet hitting the grass surface, that it would actually catch on fire.
“That’s how fast he was going, and I thought: ‘Wowee, how lucky am I?’"
Williams reminisced on Wanganeen's ability to win matches for both Port Adelaide and Essendon, particularly taking note of his performance in the 2004 Grand Final.
“I was lucky enough to actually play with Gavin, and then to coach him. Without doubt he was a bloke that could change the game,” Williams added.
“The Preliminary Final he kicked the last two goals to get us into the Grand Final and come Grand Final day, he starred as well.”
