Hawthorn Premiership Player | Chance Bateman (09.09.2026)

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Mark Duffield (0:08)

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SPEAKER_1 (0:09)

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Mark Duffield (0:12)

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SPEAKER_1 (0:14)

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Sean Gorman (0:18)

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SPEAKER_1 (0:21)

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Mark Duffield (0:27)

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SPEAKER_1 (0:31)

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Mark Duffield (1:00)

Welcome back to the SENWA studio out here at Upto Stadium. Wednesday morning in Perth, 17.2 degrees outside, building to a top of 23 degrees. This is Duff and the Doctor, thanks to Blackline, that is B-L-A-K-Line, Aboriginal-owned business delivering signage, print, promotional products, and creative services with cultural integrity and impact. We've got a special treat for you this morning. Chance Bateman is the Indigenous player development manager at the West Coast Eagles. He played 177 games and kicked 67 goals for the Hawthorn Football Club between 2000 and 2012 He's also a member of a very, very good WA18s team that won the national titles. Same team as Darren Glass. He was an AFL Premiership player with the Hawks in 2008 He joins us on the show. Chance, welcome.

Chance Bateman (1:53)

G'day, guys. Thanks for having me on.

Mark Duffield (1:56)

Chance, I'm here with Dr. Sean Gorman. And whenever I introduce him as Dr. Sean Gorman, all the Indigenous players and former players that come on the show laugh. They think that's very funny that he's a doctor.

Sean Gorman (2:09)

Come on, Changa, don't do that, mate, don't do it.

Mark Duffield (2:12)

But you're currently the Indigenous player development manager at West Coast. Tell us about that role.

Chance Bateman (2:19)

Yeah, actually, Sean, when he's around some of the other First Nations players, he does ask to be introduced as Dr. Sean Gorman.

Sean Gorman (2:32)

That's a lie.

Chance Bateman (2:36)

No, I am.

I'm the IPDM at West Coast. These roles, I think they were actually mandated not long after COVID.

Sean Gorman (2:45)

Correct.

Chance Bateman (2:46)

And essentially, it's another Player Development Manager role, but it's through the cultural lens of a First Nations person, specifically around greater support for First Nations players, both in the AFL and our AFLW squads.

So there's a little bit of a crossover there. And essentially, our role is to help with a player's development, more so their aspirations off field in career development and those sort of things, and the way they transition into the club, and then when their time's up, the way they transition out. And then while they're at the club, it's not so much the on field footy stuff. Because of my background, there's obviously a little bit of crossover there. I speak to the boys about footy, because that's the way we can connect. But it's more around support off field, any stuff they've got going on with family, any cultural needs and support they need on there for that.

Mark Duffield (4:03)

Now, we're at an interesting time on the footy landscape when it comes to the participation of Indigenous players at AFL level. There has been a dip, and there's been a significant dip. Can you give us your thoughts on things that may or may not have led to that and what we can do about it?

Chance Bateman (4:23)

Yeah, it is a concern across the industry. I know that the AFLs are doing some work around. Looking at ways we can increase both participations. So First Nations football is coming into the game, but then there's a retention piece as well. So I haven't got any sort of concrete answers on why it is happening, Duff.

I have, along with some other IPDMs and First Nations past players and staff members, but we have had some conversations with the AFL and trying to get a gauge on, well, you know, is it a talent issue? So is the lack of players being drafted? Is it due to the pipeline of talent not being there? I don't think they believe that's the case.