Just 12 months ago, he was roundly booed by Essendon fans, prompting the embarrassed Bombers — the club most identified with Indigenous Australia — to urge their supporters to tone it down. In the past two matches against the Hawks — the grand final and last weekend — Goodes has been booed. Listening to the noise last weekend, it was clear that the booing was louder for Goodes than for Lance Franklin, who had walked out on the Hawks to take up a $10 million deal. What does that tell you?

Goodes says his dance was a tribute, a war cry that he had learned from the Boomerangs, the Indigenous junior team and he was taking the opportunity to perform it on Indigenous round. Although he danced, a touch aggressively, in the direction of Carlton supporters, Goodes said it was not directed at anyone. "And everybody else take a chill pill, understand what I was doing," he said on Saturday. "If there was Carlton supporters offended by it, I'm sorry but it's a war cry, it's a battle." Goodes did acknowledge, though, that he might have danced differently in another section of the ground.

John Longmire said on Friday night that he did not know why Goodes is routinely booed, but he hoped there was no racial element. But Sydney Swans chief executive Andrew Ireland believes that Goodes' front foot stance in championing the Indigenous cause has caused some of the public ire.

Ireland told this column there were "a variety of reasons" why Goodes attracted boos and social media abuse, such as the view that he staged for frees. It was impossible to know what was "inside people's heads", he said. "But my view," he added, "seeing much of the commentary on social media, is there is some racism involved in it."

Goodes will remain in the crosshairs of many footy fans who hoot first and ask questions later. It is undeniable and unfortunate that he has become a polarising figure. The more enlightened, broader view is that he is performing a necessary role of provoking discussion that would otherwise be muted, using his profile to force mainstream Aussies to pay attention to Aboriginal disadvantage.