This week the AFL will celebrate their annual round recognising and celebrating Indigenous players and culture, which has been renamed in honour of Sir Doug Nicholls.

Sir Doug, who epitomised the spirit of reconciliation, played 54 games for Fitzroy and was a brilliant all-round athlete. 

The first Aboriginal person to be knighted, he also served as Governor of South Australia and was devoted to the wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

All 18 clubs will wear special Indigenous-themed jumpers during the round as the GIANTS travel to Adelaide to take on the Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Saturday night’s game will feature a special celebration of the game’s Indigenous players.

As part of the pre-game entertainment, the Adelaide Oval stadium lights will be turned off following the player warm-up at approximately 6.30pm.

It will be the first time the lights have been switched off before the first bounce at Adelaide Oval and the darkness will allow for a ceremony to recognise the incredible contribution of Indigenous people to the game.

As part of the celebrations, images of Indigenous players will be spectacularly projected onto the roof of the stadium’s Eastern Stand.

There will be a Welcome to Country, smoking ceremony, Indigenous dancers and flags, and the playing of the Didgeridoo. 

The GIANTS will wear a special jumper designed by Luke Penrith who also created last year’s Indigenous Round jumper.

This year’s design is completely different to 2015 and reflects the growth in the GIANTS over the early years and the journey the club is on.

“The large footprints represent the impact the GIANTS are having on the region from Western Sydney, through Canberra and into the Riverina and will continue to have in the years to come,” said Penrith. 

“It also reflects the journey - within each foot step, the team is striving for bigger things and putting in the hard years. They are learning and building and believing in themselves and each other. 

“The boomerangs represent the past present and future as well as symbolising the young players earning their stripes as they move forward - they are flying high, driving hard and outplaying their foes.

“And the Sunset dreaming on the back is all about dreaming of a brighter future as the sunsets over the Blue Mountains in the West.”

Penrith visited GIANTS HQ on Wednesday to share the story of the jumper with the entire playing group as the club’s five Indigenous players - Nathan Wilson, Zac Williams, Jarrod Pickett, Jeremy Finlayson and Paul Ahern - spoke to their teammates about Sir Doug Nicholls.

Pickett also spent the morning cooking Kangaroo Stew and damper for the players’ lunch using a recipe from his father.

The Crows also have a special connection to their jumper for this round with the Aunty of star forward Eddie Betts designing their jumper. 

Renowned Aboriginal artist Susie Betts crafted the design to reflect the history and connection between Indigenous culture, the Crows and its supporters.

“Knowing that she (Betts’ Aunty) designed it, it’ll be very special to run out with this on the weekend,” Betts said of the jumper.

"It's very spiritual and it has got a lot of healing as well.

“What the Club has been through in the last three years, I'm glad that she put a lot of healing through this jumper because I think this Club needs a little bit of healing."

Betts said this weekend's round carried utmost importance to Indigenous players.

"It is fantastic round. It's a round that I would love to play in other than the Grand Final - if we make the Grand Final,” he said.

"If you ask all the other Indigenous guys around the league, this one of the games that they would love to play in.”

The GIANTS travel to Adelaide to take on the Crows on Saturday night at Adelaide Oval.


The GIANTS and Crows will both wear specially designed jumpers for this round