As Richmond celebrates 10 years of Dreamtime guernseys, the Club also reveals that live-wire small forward, and 2019 premiership player, Shai Bolton, is this year’s artist for the Tigers’ Indigenous jumper.
Bolton, 21, a proud Noongar man from Western Australia, collaborated with his mother, Kylie Pickett, and nan, Beverley Pickett to create the artwork, and nan, Lynley Pickett to tell the story of the design.
Richmond became the first AFL Club to create a playing jumper with an Indigenous inspired design – and this week celebrates the 10th iteration of Dreamtime jumpers, in what would have been the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round. National Reconciliation Week also approaches next week - a time for Australians to learn more about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements.
Dreaming, connection, gathering, strength and determination are the key themes Bolton represents in his guernsey design.
Bolton represents his own journey and Dreaming, along with Richmond’s five other Aboriginal players, and tells the story of the Club’s recent on-field success throughout the design.
On the front of the jumper, the circle in the sash represents the Richmond Football Club, the footprints are the Club’s six Aboriginal players – Bolton, Shane Edwards, Sydney Stack, Marlion Pickett, Daniel Rioli, and Derek Eggmolesse-Smith making their journey to the Club, with each boomerang highlighting their individual connection to Country.
The back of the guernsey represents Bolton’s story and Noongar Dreaming, with a tribal warrior relating to power, strength and determination – represented by Richmond’s recent premiership successes.
The circles and campfires throughout the design are all of the different meeting places, gatherings and connections made in the players’ journeys into AFL, and the stars guide the Dreaming process.
Bolton said he wanted the design to represent more than his own story, he wanted it to represent every Richmond player who gets the chance to wear it.
“My family are forever grateful to have the opportunity to design this, and I just want to thank the Club for giving me the opportunity to design it,” he said.
“To do this, representing my family - representing the boys here, not even just the Indigenous boys, (but all) the boys that are playing with us - we’re always ‘one’ when we’re playing in this jumper.
“In my first year, when I got drafted and I played in the Dreamtime (at the 'G), it was an unbelievable experience, I’d never ever played in a big game like that in my life.”
All proceeds from Dreamtime jumper sales support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth through the Club’s Korin Gamadji Institute. To purchase your own Shai Bolton designed Dreamtime guernsey, visit the Tigerland Superstore.
