TWO of Bendigo's indigenous community leaders say the Adam Goodes saga is being deeply felt by local aboriginal people.
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Elder Aunty Lyn Warren and Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation chief executive officer Rodney Carter yesterday leapt to the defence of the champion Sydney Swans player after he took time off last week following continued booing from opposition supporters.
Aunty Lyn said the treatment of Goodes - a two time premiership player and dual Brownlow medallist with the Swans - was nothing short of disgraceful.
"It's been blown out of all proportion," she said.
"The man has been treated like trash - it's just ridiculous.
"People can have their say and that's their opinion, but move on."
Aunty Lyn, an avid Collingwood supporter, was convinced the motivation for booing Goodes was racial.
"If it was a mainstream person who went out and said things there would be no fuss," she said.
"But because Adam Goodes people are jumping up and down.
"Every man has a breaking point - God forbid what would have happened had it kept going.
“If it wasn’t for his mother, I don’t know how Adam would have ended up.”
Mr Carter said the Goodes issue had definitely resonated with local indigenous people, particularly youth.
He said while the corporation itself did not have a view on the controversy, it was personally disappointing how the Goodes furore had played out.
"I don't think people can avoid it as an issue," he said.
"All the good the AFL has done with dealing with tolerance, including racial equality and domestic violence, has been good.
"But there's always damage on the periphery. Everyone wants to have their two cents worth."
Mr Carter, a Richmond supporter, was at a loss to understand what motivated sections of the crowd at AFL games to boo the two-time Brownlow medallist and two-time premiership player.
"For him not to front up for a game that means so much to him, he must really be hurting," he said.
"It's so sad what it's come to.
"When it affects an individual to the point he's emotionally affected, we need to sit back and say enough is enough.
"It wreaks of tall poppy syndrome - in Australia we seem to like to put people up on a pedestal and then tear them down."
Goodes is expected to return Swans training tomorrow ahead of an important clash against Geelong this Saturday at Skilled Stadium.
It comes after AFL clubs and wider Australian community rallied around the Swans star on the weekend with an unprecedented show of support.
Two clubs – Richmond and the Western Bulldogs – took to the field in their indigenous jumpers, while Melbourne and Collingwood players wore aboriginal armbands during their clash at the MCG.
Mr Carter said it was great to see local clubs getting behind Goodes, with Strathfieldsaye Storm and South Bendigo football netball clubs' donning their indigenous round guernseys for their respective weekend clashes against Kyneton and Kangaroo Flat respectively.
"It was brilliant - there's no better example of leadership in our community," he said.
"The Dja Dja Wurrung people were involved in designing of these jumpers.
"For these clubs to come out in solidarity of support of Adam Goodes and indigenous people, that's true leadership."