'Nicest you'll meet': Anthony Mundine's influence on NRL great
When a young Dean Widders left the country for the big smoke to join the Roosters he lived with Artie Beetson.
Special moments at the footy legend's dinner table, and his own family's story, have inspired Widders to make a difference for young indigenous players.
By Dean Widders
I was the victim of racial abuse in an NRL game in 2005. In the aftermath of that I thought the best way of dealing with it is with sensitivity, care and education. Not anger or aggression or hate because that won’t get you anywhere, it will just keep people divided on either side of the fence.
You want to try to educate people and show what damage racism can do. That’s when people learn and start to change their ways, and maybe become advocates of change in other people.
Racism is still a terrible thing in Australia, and something we all need to work hard to change.
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I think people should be brought together when you are dealing with these things. It’s not that easy of course, when someone has said something to you that’s really hurtful and damaging.
But I think it’s important to come together and come up with a solution, or at least educate the person why it hurt so much.
It’s what I don’t like about what’s still going on with Adam Goodes. They need someone with the power to get Adam Goodes and Sam Newman and Eddie McGuire in a room, have a chat.
They might not come out in 100 per cent agreement but at least they’ll come a little closer to each other. The way it is, is just all negative.
One of my favourite people
It took a long time for people to open their minds up to the fact Aboriginals could play at the very top level and succeed with their style of play.
It was a way of thinking. Often an unconscious bias. People don’t realise they’re thinking a certain way and they’re not opening their minds up to opportunities.
Anthony Mundine was one of the greatest five-eighths in the game but he was never recognised in high representative teams.
Stan Grant says this a lot: Minorities are okay and we love them for their achievements but if they start talking too much about inequalities or injustice, that’s when they get put in a box or we turn on them.
Anthony Mundine has always been one of those people. He’s always stood up and said what needed to be said.
He’s one of my favourite people in the world. Doesn’t drink, doesn’t smoke, never treats anyone in the world with bad intentions or disrespect. When you meet him, he’s the nicest fella you’ll ever meet.
He was important to me when I first moved down. Him and Wes Patten, they would always come up to you and talk to you.
It didn’t matter that they didn’t know who you were. They wanted to get to know you, wanted to give you confidence. They told you to train hard, stay away from drugs and alcohol and the bad things in Sydney.
They were in first grade and I was just a young kid, but we’d catch up and they always had time for me to teach me how to believe in myself.
Anthony’s always been like that. I’ve seen him do so many kind things. He’s one of the greatest people I know. And it’s sad in Australia because he stepped outside of that box and spoke up on a lot of issues, so a lot of people can’t stand him.
In Aboriginal Australia, we need a lot of people fighting fights on all different levels.
We need the ones who are a bit radical and outspoken and the ones that work with people – don’t say too much but go about their business quietly. We need ones that build relationships.
Because we have a big battle on our hands, we need people at all levels, so our kids can get equal opportunities.
It’s much better than when I came through. There are a lot more people out there now who are understanding and caring. We’ve come so far and we continue to stand up for things in society and do great things in the community. It gives everyone a chance to be better tomorrow.
The things I see with young kinds and how they think, I believe Australia will be such a better place in the next generation. There’s still a long way to go but it’s great that we are taking steps forward.