ESSENDON great Michael Long has put his hand up to fill the AFL Commission vacancy, saying it is time an indigenous person had a say on the game's highest governing body.
The AFL is searching for a replacement for Linda Dessau who is set to stand down as a commissioner by June to take over as Victoria's new governor.
The AFL has never had an indigenous commissioner before and Long told the Herald Sun that needed to change.
"We have women on the commission, we have let different nationalities run our great game, and I've got a passion for football, and I've had a plan for 10 years and I think I have given back what the game has given me," Long said.
"This is something I feel very strongly about and the timing is right.
"I'll be one person putting my hand up and it's not my decision to say I'm the one.
"I'll let the powers that be decide that but my passion is to see an indigenous person in that role."
Long has been a highly influential figure for indigenous Australians since he took a stand against on-field racism in 1995, objecting to comments made to him by Collingwood ruckman Damian Monkhorst.
Long's stand resulted in the AFL enacting the first Australian sporting rule prohibiting racial vilification.
In 2004, Long set out to walk to Canberra to gain a meeting with then Prime Minister John Howard in the hope of raising awareness about the plight of indigenous Australians.
Long's effort lead to the inception of the Long Walk, in which thousands of fans walk together onto the MCG in Indigenous Round every year.
Long outlined his achievements since returning to Darwin a decade ago as proof he has the credentials to join the Commission.
"There are some significant outcomes we have achieved in the north, women's footy has grown enormously, it's the No.1 growing sport in the Territory and we've only just touched the surface with that," Long said.
"Not that I'm pushing myself, but I deliberately came home to Darwin a decade ago to develop myself, put things together.
"I don't know if I've done that, but we've developed the Thunder team which plays in the NEAFL competition. We raised $10 million to get that up and going, and it is a pathway for us in the Territory to play in the Queensland (comp).
"To complement that we raised a further $15 million for the Michael Long Leadership Centre here in Darwin, which will be opened on March 13.
"We're using the power of football to develop our kids and we see what football can do at all levels. Part of the leadership centre is influencing change.
"The leadership centre has been my baby, the Thunder has been my baby. The Long Walk is about bringing people together and I hope I appeal to all people, not just indigenous people."
Former Channel Nine boss Jeff Browne is another potential candidate to replace Dessau on the Commission and reportedly has the support of two people on the nominations sub-committee, Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and West Coast chairman Alan Cransberg.
Australia's most senior female army officer Major General Simone Wilkie and former Sydney Swans and West Coast ruckman Jason Ball joined the Commission in December, replacing Chris Langford and Bill Kelty.
