IT'S GOING to be so exciting to see eight indigenous players running around on the MCG on Grand Final day.

They're all fantastic contributors to both of the teams involved and there are a lot of people, a lot of communities and a lot of family members out there who are very proud of them.

I understand and appreciate the journey they have all taken and how hard it is to get there.

From a selfish point of view, I'm naturally a little bit disappointed that it's not me running out onto the ground with my teammates for the big game.

But both Hawthorn and Fremantle have been fantastic sides over the course of the year.

They are both great football clubs that have embraced Aboriginal players and helped them grow into fantastic players themselves.

What it typically comes down to is those players have to make a range of choices.

They have to make choices about their own careers, choices about their lifestyle, choices about what they really want to do with their lives.

Once they do make that decision to buy into the football club and the cultures at their football club, they've been able to see massive improvements in form and as people over that journey.

There have obviously been some exceptional performances over the years on Grand Final day.

I'll always remember guys like Andrew McLeod and Byron Pickett winning Norm Smith medals.

The first goal for those boys out there on Saturday of course is to help their team get over the line and win a premiership, but if one of them is lucky enough to win the Norm Smith, it's such a huge honour.

Today is our biggest stage in terms of sporting events. Basically the whole country will be watching.

To have a group of such talented indigenous people on the biggest stage on our sporting calendar is such a positive thing for a lot of young people to see.

You've got these healthy, young, fit men living out their dreams.

To hear their stories of how they got to Grand Final day, to hear the sacrifices they've had to make and the journeys they've been on, it can only be a positive thing for our people.