Fans grew to instantly recognise his loping running style, his casual but pinpoint foot passing, and his idiosyncratic pose after a mark, holding the ball aloft on its point as if to show the world he'd caught it.
White's vertical jump allowed his coaches to take advantage of his flexibility by positioning him in a variety of key positions—even, when injuries to teammates demanded it, the ruck.
White survived the 1996 merger between Fitzroy and the Bears which formed the Brisbane Lions, and was an integral member of its first premiership victory in 2001 playing off half-back.
On one occasion, he even found himself approached by a young indigenous player from a rival club immediately after a match who asked him to pose for a photograph with him before leaving the ground.
His progression from erratic youth to responsible adult had been guided by mentor and former teammate, fellow aborigine Michael McLean.
"[11] In 2005, he was named captain of the Indigenous All-Stars, an all-Aboriginal team, selected to play the Western Bulldogs in Darwin that February.
The Lions continued to show their loyalty to the player who had served them so well and re-signed him for the 2005 season, but he added only ten games to his career tally.
[12] In the last quarter of his final game, White fielded a mark at half-forward and held it skyward in trademark fashion.
After the siren, he was carried from the ground by indigenous teammates Chris Johnson and Ash McGrath, signifying the respect in which he had been held by his community.
White's contribution to football and his community was recognised in 2005 when he was named at full-back in the Indigenous Team of the Century, alongside premiership teammate Johnson and former mentor McLean.
[16] He continued with Nyah-Nyah West until 2014, and played the 2014/15 NTFL season with Darwin before retiring at age 41 after 26 years of senior football.