Indigenous champion Nicky Winmar has expressed pride in Jamarra Ugle-Hagan's decision to tackle racism head-on.
The 20-year-old Western Bulldogs forward made a powerful stand on Thursday night, replicating Winmar's iconic gesture when he lifted his jumper and pointed to his skin.
The remarkable moment at Marvel Stadium came just five days after Ugle-Hagan was racially abused during and after a match at the same venue.
It was almost 30 years to the day since Winmar famously stood up to racial abuse from Collingwood supporters at Victoria Park in April 1993.
Winmar was awarded two Brownlow Medal votes for his performance that afternoon - fellow Indigenous star Gilbert McAdam got three - but sat out the next three games.
Appearing at the MCG for St Kilda's 150-year anniversary celebrations, Winmar lauded Ugle-Hagan's strength.
"I'm very proud of him that he did stay and didn't go anywhere else," Winmar told the Seven Network.
"(After) my incident 30 years ago, I went away for about four or five weeks.
"I didn't want to come back. I was hurt pretty bad.
"But with the help of the Western Bulldogs and Luke Beveridge - a good friend of mine, a close mate - and the support they gave him (he stayed).
"We've still got a fight that we have and I'm not going to tell everybody what to do or tell them to shut up, they've just got to control what they say."
Ugle-Hagan recreated Winmar's gesture after kicking the first of his five goals in a match-winning display for the Bulldogs against Brisbane.
The AFL is still investigating circumstances surrounding the racial abuse directed at Ugle-Hagan during and after the round-two match against St Kilda, but is yet to identify the culprits.
The Saints have said the culprits will no longer be welcome at their games, and joined the Bulldogs and AFL in condemning the "harmful and abhorrent racist remarks" made against Ugle-Hagan.
