Indigenous Crows players in the jumper designed by Andrew McLeod, from left, Jared Petrenko, Eddie Betts, Charlie Cameron and Cameron Ellis-Yolmen. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Corp Australia
ADELAIDE forward Eddie Betts has told how he would never have held cherished son Lewis or escaped life in trouble town without the power of love, AFL and idol Andrew McLeod.
Quiet contemplation ahead of AFL's indigenous round and 200-game milestone saw Betts recall his rise from illiterate, wayward youngster to champion for a people he will never give up on.
Betts, 27, will confront Gold Coast Suns this Sunday as respected role model - a poignant and unforeseen feat when trashing his talent as wild child 15-year-old in Port Lincoln.
SCROLL DOWN: EDDIE WANTS TO STAMP OUT RACISM
"If I didn't play AFL I don't know what I would be doing. To tell the truth I wouldn't have my beautiful son, fiance and a house that is almost paid off in Melbourne," said Betts, engaged to partner Anna Scullie and devoted father to 19-month old Lewis.
"I am so lucky to have to have had the career and opportunities that I have had."
Betts and his band of brothers would skirt around a tuna town with more tycoons per capita than anywhere in Australia with drink, drugs and junk food ever present. Education was a distant thought.
Eddie Betts celebrates a goal against former club Carlton. Picture: Michael Dodge.
Betts was closer to skid row than the millionaire variety in Port Lincoln. There was a fine line between AFL stardom and collision course with the law.
Cut to the core when he visits communities ravaged by alcohol and drug abuse, Betts instantly relives the danger and emptiness felt as a teenager on a road to nowhere.
"It does sadden me and to be completely honest I was one of those kids. Growing up I was into that stuff and Mum shifted me away. That was the step I made, shifted away from all that," said Betts whose childhood was split between Eyre Peninsula and Kalgoorlie
It is well documented that a 'mother' of all interventions from Cindy Sambo saw her son Eddie uprooted to Melbourne - joining Phil Krakouer's indigenous AFL TAFE academy in 2003.
"Every week, every day I thank what she did for me, got away from that environment," said 193-game veteran Betts.
Sanctuary was famously found in Krakouer's landmark program that fast tracked talented juniors from across the nation into Victoria's under-18 competition - leaving them AFL draft ready.
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It took real gumption to shake homesickness in Melbourne for Betts.
Even in the darkest days, ambition to emulate dual Adelaide premiership midfielder McLeod motivated Betts. Dual Norm Smith medallist McLeod's influence continues to this day.
"I grew up as a Crows supporter in Port Lincoln and looked up to Andrew McLeod, he was my role model and still my idol," said Betts, who joined Adelaide this season from Carlton in a $2 million, four-year deal.
"He gave me that drive to play footy, make my dreams come true.
"Now I am getting into the APY lands initiative which Andy runs to mentor young leaders there. I will be proud to wear his guernsey design in the indigenous round which is probably the best one around."
Breaking the chain of poor life choices in remote communities is complicated further by family bonds that typically mean staying together for better or worse.
"I was born in Port Lincoln but my parents broke up when I was little. I shifted back to Western Australia with my Mum, we were living in a three-bedroom house with 18 children," recalled Betts.
"You get that tight bond with all your first cousins, they are like brothers.
"So many of them could play AFL but it is hard to leave that environment."
Crucially, Betts also puts the onus on indigenous youth to be brave in the fight to beat disadvantage.
"When I got drafted I didn't know how to read or write, what I was doing. You have to get out of your comfort zone, go to school then chase your dreams," said Betts, now a part time primary school teacher who has pursued years of self-driven study.
Success does require ongoing vigilance as Betts was reminded after an end of season player function at Carlton in 2009.
"We had trained all year, weren't allowed to drink. The boys put on a little thing and it got a bit out of hand. From then onwards I had to switch on a little better, turn my life around," said Betts who redoubled his approach to fitness in a bid for career longevity.
"I am glad it happened as it made me a stronger person."
The inaugural member of his family to own a house, Betts has now new goals on the horizon.
"It is always someone's dream to play one AFL game let along as much as I have," said Betts.
"It is a great achievement from where I came from. Hopefully I can continue on and get a premiership before I finish my footy.
"I would love to get into coaching when I retire as well."
Eddie Betts has become a mentor for first-year Crows player Charlie Cameron. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Corp Australia
EDDIE'S LEADING THE WAY FOR INDIGENOUS TEAMMATES
FOR every indigenous footballer that makes it - more are spat out of the AFL system - unable to adjust culturally or deal with the heartache of leaving close family and spiritual environments.
Adelaide star Eddie Betts is attempting to make a difference and keep Aboriginal AFL representation at 10 per cent - becoming a father figure to young stars from Carlton gun Chris Yarran to Crows rookie sensation Charlie Cameron.
"I try to go out of my way to make sure they don't get homesick, look after them," said Betts, who like Cameron, cut his teeth playing football in Kalgoorlie.
"It is fantastic, I love doing it, gives guys a longer opportunity to stay in the AFL system.
"It has been great taking Charlie into our house, we are always there to talk to."
Betts, 27, concedes he was saved from himself when Carlton offered salvage from AFL's last chance saloon through the 2005 pre-season draft.
However Melbourne's Liam Jurrah was a fish out of water away from his clan before finishing on the wrong side of the law in Alice Springs.
Dale Garlett, 20, would quit premier Hawthorn in March - simply disliking the routine of AFL and tyranny of distance from family in WA.
"It is a bit sad about Liam," lamented 193-game goal-sneak Betts.
"He had Aaron Davey at Melbourne who was a great role model but English was his third language, he came from a remote environment. He was a very shy kid. Things didn't turn out, it can go either way.
"Dale got homesick, went back to family. It's about making that next step of training hard, playing good footy and living away from home.
"It is that hard choice."
"There are still people out there who are racist," Eddie Betts says. Picture: Michael Dodge. Source: Getty Images
EDDIE WANTS TO STAMP OUT RACISM
EDDIE Betts has spoken of his remarkable u-turn from troubled youth to 200-game indigenous hero - now determined to smash the scourge of racism and disadvantage in our time.
The indigenous round is synonymous with several flashpoints. St Kilda half-forward Nicky Winmar's pointed to his skin after being racially vilified by Collingwood cheer squad members in 1993.
Adelaide forward Betts, 27, faithfully hoped racist incidents at AFL venues were dead and buried - a relic of the past by his retirement.
Yet, Sydney champion and Australian of the year Adam Goodes has been the victim of two racial slurs inside a year by Collingwood and Essendon fans.
"We have to close the gap on racism," said Betts, noting the hurt caused to Goodes after being labelled an ape by spectators.
"There's still people out there that are racist. We thought it stopped last year with the Goodes incident and it is still occurring.
"Goodesy says racism must be stamped out to the end, we have to educate. All we want to do is cut out racism from the game."
Betts cites AFL and its indigenous round as a healing agent - unique on the sporting and political landscape.
"The Michael Long walk for the traditional Richmond v Essendon clash is getting bigger every year. It gives more insight on our culture and background," said Betts, engaged to partner Anna Scullie and devoted father to 19-month old Lewis.
"It's strange as I never experienced racism in nine years at Carlton and played against Collingwood twice a year but it just takes one person to paint a whole section."
Betts also put the onus on indigenous youth to be brave in the fight to beat disadvantage. Betts urges children to finish schooling in his visits to remote APY lands communities with Adelaide great and idol Andrew McLeod.
"I think you have to get out of your comfort zone, go to school then chase your dreams," said Betts, who mentors rising Carlton duo Chris Yarran, Jeff Garlett and Crows rookie revelation Charlie Cameron.
Betts notes he faced the curse of alcohol and drugs aged 15 in Port Lincoln if his mother hadn't moved him to former North Melbourne rover Phil Krakouer's TAFE footy program in Melbourne during 2003.
"To tell the truth I wouldn't have my beautiful son, fiance and a house. If I didn't play AFL I don't know what I would be doing," he said.
