Katriina Heikkanen marvels at star Sydney Swans forward Lance Franklin, but the proud Aboriginal woman is this week one of thousands of Indigenous females nationwide deserved of praise of her own.

This year’s NAIDOC Week is recognising the invaluable work of women like Heikannen, the AFL’s Indigenous and Social Policy Manager, as the 2018 edition celebrates the ‘Because of her, we can’ theme.

The Worrimi nation descendant kicked big goals as the AFL NSW/ACT Indigenous Programs Manager between 2010 and 2016, before taking up her current role at the AFL. 

Helping Indigenous boys and girls find their feet in society and encouraging them to set their sights on big futures are at the core of what Heikkanen does.

But her tireless work in the Indigenous space has a flavour of red and white, with Heikkanen forming part of the Swans’ inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan committee in 2013.

Heikannen says the 2018 NAIDOC Week theme, ‘Because of her, we can’, strikes a resounding chord.

“I reckon this is the best theme NAIDOC has had,” Heikkanen said.

“I’ve never seen a NAIDOC theme promoted so much, whether it’s through social media or people talking about it.

“The women of our culture and our lives, and it doesn’t matter if you’re Indigenous or non-Indigenous, are so important and instrumental in making us who we are.

“The connectedness I have with my mother’s Aboriginal culture, and my nan and my aunties who helped raise me as well, have made me who I am today.”

Heikannen is quick to answer when asked of her proudest career moment, saying nothing tops seeing former Swan Abe Davis and Giant Jeremy Finlayson lock in AFL contracts.

The youngsters both took part in the Kickstart Indigenous Program in Heikkanen’s time at AFL NSW/ACT, an initiative for under-15 boys of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.

Although the boys’ prodigious on-ground talent took care of itself, Heikkanen played a big hand in helping the duo tackle everyday life.

“I cried when my Kickstart boys got drafted,” Heikkanen said of Davis and Finlayson.

“They first came through my program and then continued on with footy and it was just a really proud moment to think I was part of their journey. I still keep in touch with them today.

“Footy is a tough industry. With having to train and being exposed to that professionalism, it was important to make sure the boys and their parents were comfortable and make sure they knew there was somebody these boys could reach out to and their parents as well.”

Heikkanen grew up in Bankstown in Sydney’s west as the middle child of three girls.

Although she has been a through-and-through Sydney supporter since she first locked eyes on a Swans game in 2011, she was born into a family that lived and breathed rugby league.

The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs were in the family’s blood and she took no interest in Australian rules football as a kid.

But her love for the game is now unquestioned.

She in fact built a tight bond with Sydney greats Adam Goodes and Michael O’Loughlin as the trio stamped their impact on the Swans’ inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan committee.

“I don’t think I would have survived without them,” Heikkanen said.

“I wasn’t familiar with the industry and with them being the only Indigenous players in NSW and myself being one of very few Indigenous people employed by AFL NSW/ACT over the last 10-15 years, it was a natural synergy to support each other.

“To me they were like brothers, I could lean on them anytime and I could call them when I needed to ask any football-related questions.

“But it was also complementary because I had my connections here being a Sydney girl, so we all leveraged off each other.”

But although Goodes and O’Loughlin lit up the AFL stage of yesteryear, and while Franklin and up-and-coming Swans youngster James Bell carry the torch today, Heikkanen says NAIDOC Week is a time to thank Indigenous women.

“Sometimes we get forgotten even though we’re the backbone of most of the communities and families,” Heikkanen said.

“It’s great to see the guys on centre stage like Buddy and even James Bell coming through the ranks.

“But then we’ve got women like Kirby Bentley in the AFL Women’s competition, who’s such a strong Aboriginal woman making a name for herself and being a great role model for young girls coming through the ranks.”