AFLW player backs decision to scrap minute's silence for the Queen during Indigenous Round

Daisy Pearce has thrown her support behind the decision not to hold a minute's silence during the AFLW's Indigenous Round.

Making an appearance on national radio, the Aussie Rules star gave an incredibly-articulate and intelligent answer on a very complex subject.

In the wake of Elizabeth II's death, a number of sporting codes have paid their respects to her by doing various pre-match tributes, including a minute's silence.

A minute's silence was observed prior to the opening match of last weekend's Indigenous Round, but the move was scrapped for the remaining games after backlash.

And with the AFLW's Indigenous Round split across two weekends, fans were interested to see whether the act would be repeated this weekend.

Now the sport's governing body has confirmed that a minute's silence, in fact, won't be conducted – a decision which has the backing of Melbourne captain Pearce.

"Well I think this all comes down to which version of our nation's history you give voice to," Pearce said on SEN Radio.

"For me, Indigenous round is a time not just for celebrating colourful jumpers and the Indigenous players, but for educating ourselves and concerning ourselves with the facts in this country's history that aren't well told, and giving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people a platform to tell their stories.

"To me, that's what Indigenous Round is about.

"What I've learned from that process is that for First Nations people, colonialism is not something that's universally celebrated. It represents the genocide of their people, the theft of their land, the erasure of their culture and way of life, the loss of their wealth, their basic human rights, and their children."

Pearce went on to highlight the atrocities that First Nations people have suffered in recent years, including the Stolen Generation whereby Aboriginal children were taken from their families and scattered across the country.

In her passionate plea, the AFLW star also pointed out that laws and legislations which directly impacted Indigenous people in a negative way were still being enforced as recently as the 1970s – hence why a chorus of voices have spoken out against holding a minute's silence.

"This isn't ancient barbaric history, that happened way back when, this happened in our lifetimes. The trauma and pain associated with that didn't end with the removal of that legislation," Pearce added.

"It endures now and it has a very real effect on people and families and identities."

She added: "While for many Australians and people around the world, the Queen represents a long remarkable reign marked by good will, grace, leadership, family and service. For a group of very significant Australians, the first owners of this land, it doesn't – it doesn't represent that.

"I understand that the Queen inherited her role at a very young age, and was not directly to blame for all these past atrocities, and that she did an enormous amount of good. But for Indigenous people she leaves a 70-year legacy as a figurehead of colonialism."