Star Crow meets estranged family member on journey to AFLW Indigenous Round

AFLW will celebrate the heritage of Indigenous Australians and pay homage to some of their longest held traditions over the next fortnight.

All 18 AFLW clubs will wear specially designed Indigenous Round guernseys, while umpires at all matches will wear uniforms designed by Noongar Wandandi Boodja man and current umpire, Joshua James.

The artwork is called Moorditj Koondarm which means ‘strong dreams’ in Noongar language. The overall story showcases how strong, resilient and self-determined Aboriginal people are and the unity of people coming together.

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Three AFLW clubs will swap their names for traditional in-language names, with Melbourne becoming ‘Narrm’ (pronounced na-arm), Fremantle becoming ‘Walyalup’ (pronounced wul-yul-up) and Port Adelaide becoming ‘Yartapuulti’ (pronounced Yarta–pole-tee).

Additionally, Sherrin has created the first unique AFLW Indigenous Round football, designed by proud Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri and Nurrunga woman, Gabriel Stengle.

7NEWS.com.au takes you behind the scenes of each team’s jumper design and the meaning behind them.

Adelaide Crows

Adelaide’s Indigenous jumper shares the same design as the one worn by both the AFL and SANFL teams earlier this year.

It has special family significance for premiership player, Danielle Ponter, who designed the top with her formerly estranged Aunty, April Napangardi Campbell, from the Ti Tree community in the Northern Territory.

Campbell is an artist, and Anmatyerr educator, who Ponter hadn’t met until recently after their family lost connection when Ponter’s grandfather on her mother’s side was forcibly removed from traditional lands as a two-year-old.

The first time the pair met in person was to design the jumper together and the artwork centres on connection as one club, inclusive of all Crows players, staff, members, fans, and communities.

It aims to create a sense of belonging, strength and community, while celebrating current and past Indigenous players.

“Jeremy, our First Nations Programs Officer, reached out about the opportunity to create a design and I knew that my Aunty painted, but I had never met her before because the family was separated for many years, so I got in contact through my mum to see if she was interested, and she was, and she started painting almost straight away,” Ponter said.

“It’s amazing that I’ve been able to connect with her through the artwork and the opportunity. To finally meet her in Adelaide and see her artwork is just awesome.

“I’m so happy to have finally met my Aunty and that she is able to share some of her stories through the artwork.”

Brisbane Lions

Designed by Lions small forward, Courtney Hodder, the guernsey was inspired by the Lions training facility at Springfield, and aims to spread the message of new beginnings.

The families, members, and fans who support the Brisbane Lions week-in, week-out are represented in the hands along the sides of the guernsey, while the foundations of the club are represented in the tree on the front of the guernsey.

Hodder’s design also features her totem, the turtle, as well as the totems of proud Ghungalu woman Ally Anderson and proud Gunditjmara woman Dakota Davidson along the bottom of the guernsey.

Carlton

Designed by proud Tiwi woman, Russellina Puruntatameri, for the first time, both AFL and AFLW teams will unite and wear the same Indigenous guernsey.

The design was unveiled by the club’s AFL team for Sir Doug Nicholls Round earlier this year.

Puruntatameri wanted to showcase the strength and resilience of the Tiwi women through illustrating a Numwariyaka (spear) and Pamajini (arm bands) which sit proudly across the front.

The circular shapes on the guernsey represent the ceremonial dancing ground, an important ceremony in the Tiwi community that symbolises good health, hunting, and initiation.

The arm bands are woven from pandanus and are an important part of Tiwi ceremony.

“It was so exciting to be asked to design the Indigenous guernsey for Carlton for this year. The brief was to focus on a story that has been practiced and painted for thousands and thousands of years,” said Puruntatameri.

“I thought the Kulama Ceremony in combination with key elements of women’s business was the perfect fit as it will be worn by players from both AFL and AFLW.

“I am proud to have created something that both the players and supporters who wear the guernsey can connect directly with and learn about the historic and continuing cultural practices of the Tiwi Islands.”

Collingwood

Designed by Djab Wurrong and Kirrae Wurrong artist, Tarni Jarvis, the design tells the story of the many individuals and groups that make up the Collingwood Football Club and community.

The design features circles within the black stripes on the guernsey. Each circle is unique and represents the people, and their stories, that make up the club.

Crosshatching – which is a commonly used technique within Aboriginal artwork in the southwest region of Victoria – is used to create the white stripes of the jumper.

The design was worn by Collingwood’s AFL and AFLW teams this year and has been worn throughout the 2023 NAB AFLW season as its official AFLW away guernsey.

Essendon

Designed by Kirby Bentley, Noongar woman and Essendon AFLW assistant coach, the Bombers have worn their Indigenous jumper throughout the season already.

The design is centred around Bentley’s own beliefs that the Waugal dominates the Earth and the sky and makes the koondarnangor (thunder), babanginy (lightning) and boroong (rain).

During the Nyitting, it created the fresh waterways such as the bilya/beelier (river), pinjar (swamps, lakes) and ngamma (waterhole).

The Darling Scarp represents the body of the Waugal, which created the curves and contours of the hills and gullies.

As the Waugal slithered over the land, its track shaped the sand dunes, its body scoured out the course of the rivers, where it occasionally stopped for a rest, and created bays and lakes.

This is hunting from the front, building a stronger connection with each other through the waters and the land.

Walyalup (Fremantle)

Walyalup’s jumper tells the story of the club being born from Walyalup, the area now known as Fremantle, highlighting these through the colours of the South Fremantle and East Fremantle Football Clubs represented at the base of the guernsey.

Underpinning these bands are the seven hills that historically stood as beacons from which the Walyalup area was guarded and also representative of female unity.

The pattern that illustrates the chevrons represents the bonds created from women meeting, working and celebrating together.

Below the chevrons are seven meeting places that represent the many communities that make up the Fremantle Dockers, and above the chevrons is another symbol featuring 21 figures, illustrating the 21 players who will run out and wear the jumper on game day.

At the top of the jumper is a hibiscus flower, which is known as the National Sorry Day Flower.

The Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation has given Fremantle permission to use the flower in the Indigenous jumpers across Freo’s men’s and women’s teams since 2014.

Geelong Cats

The Cats jumper was designed by Michelle Searle, a mother of three and a proud Awabakal woman from Newcastle, New South Wales.

The stars represent meeting under one sky, with everybody coming together and sharing the land.

The centre represents coming together, sharing, bringing of different elements like food, knowledge, different experiences and learning from one another to gather around the centre.

The lower design elements explain people’s different journeys and different pathways through life.

The bands across the middle represent waves of emotions but also waves of support from friends, family, and community.

Gold Coast Suns

Injured Suns forward Kalinda Howarth was involved in the design process, which has now featured in both 2022 and 2023 AFLW seasons, and says it’s a privilege to be able to share her culture and keep the same design this season.

The white sun on the guernsey represents the Gold Coast and the AFLW players, their families, and their communities.

The yellow sun at the top-back of the guernsey depicts the sunrise coming out of the ocean, while the symbolic nature of having the sun on both the front and back of the playing strip signifies the past, present, and future of the football club.

The names of all past and present Indigenous Suns players feature on the back of the guernsey.

“Being able to represent my family and my culture has been an incredible process to be a part of, and I’m really thankful,” Howarth told Suns Media.

GWS Giants

Designed by long-standing designer Leanne Hunter, the Giants will wear the unified design of the Ngurra jumper, as worn by the AFL side earlier this year.

Hunter says the Ngurra jumper represents country and connection in Darug language, the native tongue of the lands of Western Sydney.

“I always reflect on what once was on traditional lands,” Hunter explained.

“The environment will diminish as progress moves forward, and this piece is to remind people even though the city grows, we must allow space for nature to continue along the way.

“I depicted an interpretation of the Cumberland Plains, with people living on, playing in and enjoying its surrounds.”

Hawthorn

The design is by Woi-Wurrung Wurundjeri/Yorta-Yorta artist Simone Thomson, and is titled ‘Ballerrt Ngawan’ meaning strong sun.

The Eaglehawk, Bunjil soars in front of the burning rising sun keeping watch over Country.

The sun is the ‘giver of life’, it’s strength and power are symbolised by the central Meeting Place in which the club comes together to Bunjil Bagora.

The Meeting Place represents the fierce strength of the Club and their bond as a family, they are united and one. Its bright shining rays are the journey tracks of the players coming for Ceremony over mountain–valley and water countries.

Figures to the left and right of the sun represent the female warriors meeting for Ceremony.

The women are shaped as shields, which symbolise the strength in both body and spirit.

Bunjil’s caves are depicted by the lower hilly mounds, which is a sign of respect to the Woi-Wurrung Wurundjeri People and our connection to his creation.

The ‘u’ and ‘n’ symbols above the rising sun represent the male and female players of the Hawthorn Football Club.

They are ‘One Club’, they are connected.

The male symbol holds a spear and shield, and the female holds a digging stick and coolamon, their roles are equally important in the Community – they are Family.

Narrm (Melbourne Demons)

Narrm’s guernsey, designed by Lowell Hunter, a Nyul Nyul Saltwater Man from the Kimberley Region in Western Australia, was originally carved into sand but has been digitised to place on the jumper.

The design centres around a fire featured in the middle of the jumper, which emphasises the significance of storytelling among First Nations culture.

At the top and bottom of the jumper is the sun, a piece of the artwork that reminds fans of the importance of moving towards a reconciled Australia.

The final component of Hunter’s design is the representation of the people of the club depicted around the meeting places, the main circle, and those people can represent the family.

The back of the guernsey features the names of all Melbourne Football Club’s Indigenous players, both past and present, honouring the important impact they’ve had on the club and its people.

North Melbourne

Representing their Arden Street home, the waterways that bring us together, and the Wurundjeri people, the Kangaroos will wear artwork called ‘Connecting Through Identity.’

Designed by Emma Bamblett, a Wemba Wemba, Gunditjmara, Ngadjonji and Taungurung artist. at the heart of the guernsey is a football field with the outline of the Aboriginal flag in the centre, which represents Arden Street Oval.

Water is also a key element of design, flowing throughout the front of the guernsey. The larger circles connected to the field by rivers represent the players and their communities, and depict the players being brought together at the club by the waterways from their Country and the waterways that surround Arden Street Oval.

The back of the guernsey features symbols connected to the players and where they come from, including a coolamon on the left and a figure of a female on the right.

Yartapuulti (Port Adelaide)

Yartapuult’s design is a collaboration between star forward Gemma Houghton, and Tjunkaya Ken, artist of Iwiri Studio.

The design depicts a story of sisterhood, with links to Houghton’s grandmother.

The two circles represent the story of two sisters. The older sister was in the north and the younger sister was taken down south.

The older sister had to go looking for her to bring her back home.

You can see the journey, they took on their way back home, which includes the older sister teaching her about country, lore and culture.

The two digging sticks on the side are called wana which is part of the Tjukurpa which shows different landscapes and journeys surrounding the wana.

The shells laid across the top back panel and down the sides of the guernsey are special to Houghton and represent her grandmother, Clara Coffin.

Several elements within the design are shared between Houghton and Ken – it represents both of their grandmothers, while the geographical location where the story originates is relevant to both women.

Richmond

Richmond’s guernsey was designed by the club’s first-ever Indigenous AFLW player, Stephanie Williams, Larrakia woman.

“The weaving inside the yellow sash of this jumper was designed by my mother, Larrakia artist and weaver Lorraine Williams, which represents the coming together of our Richmond team and broader staff,” she said.

“Its pattern remains unfinished at the bottom of the sash, representing the continuance of our Richmond AFLW story.

“A yarn stick, which women commonly used in Indigenous culture, is depicted on the jumper under the sash to represent women on our team who have dug deep to play the game.

“The two handprints on the jumper are of myself as our first-ever Indigenous AFLW player and of Katie Brennan, our captain and Richmond’s inaugural AFLW player.

“The handprint spray technique used to place these hands on the jumper is from my grandmother’s country in Western Arnhem Land… It represents our mark on the Richmond Football Club and the club’s women’s football journey.”

St Kilda

Created in commemoration of the club’s Ganbu marnang n’uther boolong – the Boonwurrung translation of ‘150th year’ – and those who have contributed to its story, the Saints guernsey represents the yawa, or journey, of the club and its First Nations players and their families.

Designed by Indigenous artist Jade Kennedy of the Noongar Nation (Wadjak, Willman, Kaartdijin & Bibulman), the guernsey is a clash variant of the jumper first worn by St Kilda’s AFL side as part of this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round and NAIDOC Week celebrations.

The family totems of J’Noemi Anderson and Natalie Plane from Warumungu and Kamilaroi Country respectively feature on the back of the jumper, alongside the totems of the AFL players Bradley Hill, Jade Gresham, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Marcus Windhager, Isaac Keeler and Jack Peris.

The eight totems encircle the names of all First Nations Saints who have played a senior game for the club, representing the collective past and present, along with the foundations they have laid towards a proud future, of which Anderson and Plane are leading the way in.

These are accompanied by traditional gathering place and journey path symbols to further reference the club’s yawa. For the first time in the AFLW, both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags feature on the front of the jumper.

Sydney Swans

This is the club’s first Indigenous Round guernsey designed specifically for the AFLW team.

Swans player and proud Ningy Ningy woman Aliesha Newman was the artist of the piece that represents the Swans’ rich history, connection between the AFLW team and an acknowledgement to the people who have helped every individual player get to where they are.

The circles represent the 29 yarning circles, which are the 29 clans within NSW, with different colour shadings to symbolise the differences between community and to represent the different waterways within NSW.

The centre yarning circle represents us, the AFLW team, with each circle outside that representing the people that have helped us get to where we are today; our families, our friends, our coaches and support staff, Sydney Swans administration staff, the AFLW community and supporters, the AFLW team and our own individual journeys.

“I am pretty excited. I saw it for the first time in the flesh and it looks a lot better seeing it in person than when I was designing it,” Newman said.

“I was almost in tears when I saw it for the first time, it looks unreal.

“The colours pop and look so much better in real life and I am so happy with it.

“And while the design is colourful and beautiful, behind the artwork, there is a deep meaning and a deep story of family and connection.”

West Coast Eagles

Player and Kija/Jaru woman Krstel Petrevski designed the Eagles guernsey, taking inspiration from the unity within the walls of the club and it’s surrounds.

The circles represent the club’s programs and their connection, while the feathers are a symbol of past players and officials who have contributed to the West Coast Eagles.

The pathway drawing reflects the unique journey of everyone who joins the club, with the people symbols displaying acceptance of individualism.

The three boomerangs on the back of the guernsey unite the club through strength of mind, body and spirit, while the front of the jumper proudly displays the Waalitj, the Eagle, spreading its wings.

“This week is Indigenous Round in the AFLW and it’s a very special week to be able to educate, to be able to inspire and to be able to celebrate our Indigenous culture and celebrate our people,” Petrevski said.

“Being an aboriginal woman myself and to be able to celebrate my people, my family and where I’m from is something that’s very special, and especially to celebrate it on a football field with many people from all different walks of life and all different backgrounds.

“I hold this design very closely to my heart, and I hold our girls, our team, all our staff very close to my heart as well, so to be able to share the story, share the round and share our jumper together as one on the big stage is something I’m very grateful for and I feel very proud and privileged to be a part of.”

Western Bulldogs

The Bulldogs’ design represents Mirring (country) on Gunditjmara, where the club is affiliated with in south-west Victoria, and is inspired by the Lake Condah Possum Skin Cloak.

Designed by proud Kerrup-Mara Gunditjmara and Yorta Yorta man Jason Walker, the etching designs on the cloak represent the Bulldogs’ staff, players and supporters connection to country and journey throughout life.

The front of the guernsey features an eel (kooyang) intertwined throughout the red, white and blue hoops, which represents many things for Gunditjmara people, including resilience, and is an important resource for food and trade.

The kooyang’s inclusion in the design also acknowledges the West-Vic Eels Aboriginal Football Club, where many Aboriginal and Gunditjmara families – including Jamarra Ugle-Hagan – have played in state-wide Aboriginal Football Carnivals.

The guernsey was also worn by the Bulldogs’ AFL, VFL and VFLW teams earlier this year during their respective Indigenous Rounds.