The AFL Indigenous round in 2015 has become known as the scene of one of the most controversial spectacles in AFL history.

Now Lewis Jetta has spoken out about the war dance performed by fellow Aboriginal footballer and friend, Adam Goodes, which prompted a torrent of abuse and by the end of the season had brought about the retirement of one of the greats of the game.

It was the AFL Indigenous round in 2015 and, for well over a year, Goodes had been the target of serial booing from fans, after calling out a member of the crowd for a racial slur.

The Swans were preparing to play Carlton in Melbourne and in the lead-up to the game Jetta, who was playing for the Swans at the time, hatched a plan with Goodes that whoever kicked the first goal would perform an Indigenous dance.

"Goodesy kicked a goal and tried to do it straight away," Jetta recalled this week.

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The dance Goodes performed was a war cry created by a group of Aboriginal teenagers from the football development and leadership program, the Flying Boomerangs.

The members of the squad are the best young Indigenous players in the country and get the chance to represent Australia.

"It was just like any other celebration," Jetta said.

"He [Goodes] was just proud to show he is Indigenous and proud to show the young guys that created it on TV how proud he was.

"In the Indigenous camp we practised with the Flying Boomerangs.

"They travelled overseas doing their war cry, so we thought if we kick a goal we will do that as well.

"I think all the Boomerang boys would be very proud of it.

"It is something they created to represent Australia overseas against other countries."

Lewis Jetta said he was sticking up for his good friend, Adam Goodes, when he performed a war dance at Subiaco Oval in 2015 ( AAP: David Moir )

Time to make a stand

Goodes continued to get booed by opposition supporters throughout the 2015 season, which ultimately led to the dual Brownlow Medallist retiring at the end of the year.

"You know people asked me the question if Lewis had of kicked the goal and done the same dance do you think there would have been the same reaction," Goodes said in an interview with ABC TV this month.

"Is there a stigma with me that I am trying to create trouble?

"Am I trying too hard to raise Indigenous issues? Am I not grateful enough for the position I already have?"

Jetta didn't get the chance to perform the dance during the Indigenous round, but decided he would support his mate and do it later in the year against what is now his current club, West Coast.

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"I had just sort of had enough," Jetta said.

"He didn't deserve it, and people didn't understand why he did the dance.

"If only they understood he was doing it for the young guys … representing the young guys that did it before us, there probably would have been a different response.

"Fans have got to understand before they do that [boo] and sometimes they don't.

"I was just surprised that it went on the for the rest of the season. And that is why I made a stand here as well."

Call for a haka-style celebration

One of the main aims of the Flying Boomerangs, which also count West Coast forward Willie Rioli as one of their members, is to strengthen the players' cultural identity.

The teenagers taught the dance to the AFL Indigenous All-Stars team that included Jetta and Goodes.

Both players have said they would like to see it used in the same way that New Zealand sport teams perform the haka, whether that is in the AFL, rugby league or rugby union.

"That would definitely be very powerful," Jetta said.

"Especially Indigenous and non-Indigenous doing it together would just show we have come a long way."