The NRL is seeking to improve the lives of Indigenous and Torres Strait Island people, by leveraging our reach and influence to educate and improve understanding of Indigenous culture and issues among non-Indigenous Australians.
Whether it’s the scoreline, metres gained, or the length of a field goal, rugby league is a game driven by numbers.
Let’s reframe the numbers synonymous with our game, to help educate non-Indigenous Australians about the challenges faced by many Indigenous & Torres Strait islanders, and importantly, what the rugby league community is doing to help address them.
The NRL is working hard to help, particularly in the areas of education and employment.
- There is a 26% gap in the employment rate of Indigenous and non-Indigenous population. Countering this, 95% of placed participants from School to Work will remain in employment;
- There is a 25% gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous students completing high school. In a sign of improvement, 92% of participants in the NRL School to Work program complete Year 12.
For more information on the NRL School to Work program, click here
Download the 2021 Indigenous players map
The NRL is proud of the influence of Indigenous players in the game.
- 206 Indigenous Players have played in the NRL era since 1998;
- 12% of current NRL players are Indigenous ;
- Indigenous icon Johnathan Thurston won the Dally M Medal best player award four times;
- Four Indigenous players have played more than 300 NRL games (Thurston, Cliff Lyons, Sam Thaiday and Scott Prince)
- Indigenous legend Greg Inglis holds the State of Origin try-scoring record with 18 for the Maroons.