When it comes to Indigenous representation the NRL is one up on the AFL with higher rates of indigenous participation.
With the All Stars week planning to go ahead in 2017, its numbers could keep growing.
Since he first started playing, former NRL superstar Justin Hodges says he has seen more and more Indigenous players drawn to the game.
"We gotta say thank you to the guys who paved the way for us you know if you look back when we first watching the game you know Ricky Walford, Anthony Mundine and Steve Renouf and these guys that I've idolized since I was a young kid that made me realise that I can come down and chase my dream,” he says.
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Despite talk of the annual pre-season Indigenous All Stars match being axed, nearly 40,000 spectators turned up to the event recently.
Proof, say its supporters of the positive impact the game still has on the wider community.
"Just have a look at the All Stars concept that how many of our people turn out to watch us how many of those people are wearing jerseys with the boys names on it and that's obviously a big thanks to like I said the guys that I named before,” says Hodges.
The NRL is showing up rival codes by performing better in this area than others; in 2016 12 per cent of NRL players, and 4 per cent of staff identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander.
This surpasses the AFL which has 9 per cent of its players, and 3 per cent of its staff identified as indigenous.
The NRL is also aiming for 5 per cent of staff to be Indigenous by 2017, and 15 per cent of players.
Meanwhile former Fitzroy and Brisbane great and AFL Victoria Football Development Manager, Chris Johnson says there's no reason those number aren't achievable in the AFL too.
“They do very well in enhancing their rugby league and their presence in those states: NSW, NT and QLD. Where there are big numbers of Indigenous populations,” he said.
Rugby League is also kicking goals with the women's game, which is currently the sport's fastest growing demographic, Mark deWeerd from the NRL’s Indigenous Programs says.
“It's important to the community, so for us to have high representation of ATSI players in the game: it just provides more role models for our communities, enables them to give back.
If recent figures are anything to go by, Indigenous representation is heading in the right direction.
Source: NITV
