Collingwood star Andrew Krakouer doubts he would have pursued an AFL career if he had to put up with the sort of racial abuse his father endured.

The Magpies have announced in the AFL’s indigenous week that Krakouer will front their Barrawarn employment program.

It is far removed from 20 years ago, when St Kilda’s Nicky Winmar provided one of the game’s most iconic images.

Winmar was photographed raising his jumper and pointing to his chest in defiance after a torrent of racial slurs from Collingwood fans during a match at Victoria Park.

The AFL has made the famous moment the centrepiece of this year’s indigenous week.

Krakouer said players such as his father Jimmy and uncle Phil, who were stars at North Melbourne in the 1980s, and Winmar had been trailblazers.

Winmar’s famous moment was one of the catalysts for the AFL introducing a racial vilification policy in the 1990s.

“Without the work that those guys have done – Nicky, Phil and my Dad – I probably wouldn’t have come and played footy if it looked like that these days,” he said.

“Luckily it’s not and the AFL has done great to stamp that out.”

But the celebration of Winmar’s gesture also means some uncomfortable memories for the Magpies.

“We were obscene in our behaviour,” Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said at Thursday’s announcement.

“We’re determined those days never return.”

Only last month, the Magpies were investigating allegations that fans had racially abused a Carlton player.

But McGuire can also point to a series of gestures and programs that the Magpies have undertaken with the indigenous in the last 20 years.

They started the Barrawarn indigenous employment program, which last year provided support for 15 young indigenous people around Victoria.

Apart from appointing Krakouer as the program’s ambassador, the Magpies have also revealed Barrawarn now has state government support and they plan to help 35 people over the next 18 months.

“I was quite happy to put my hand up and come on board, through my own journey and experiences through life, I thought I’d be able to help out these young (people),” Krakouer said.

“It’s a real honour.”

Krakouer himself is a powerful role model.

After starting his AFL career at Richmond, he spent time in jail for assault.

After his release in 2009, Krakouer resurrected his football career in WA and Collingwood recruited him in late 2010.