Richmond will wear its Dreamtime jumper on the MCG for the first time since 2019 when the Club hosts Collingwood this Sunday at 4.10pm.
The Tigers, who have had the marquee Dreamtime at the ‘G fixture relocated to Darwin and Perth in recent years due to Covid-19 restrictions in Victoria, will wear this season’s Shane Edwards and Jack Riewoldt inspired design.
The jumper was designed by the Club’s Korin Gamadji Institute Program Lead, Michelle Kerrin (Arrernte/Luritja) and tells the players’ story since arriving at Richmond together in 2006.
At VFL level, Richmond will wear the 2020 jumper that Shai Bolton and his family created. In wearing both jumpers this weekend, the Tigers will be paying homage to nationwide NAIDOC celebrations (July 4-11).
NAIDOC Week celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' history, culture, and achievements and is an opportunity for all Australians to learn more about Indigenous communities.
The Tigers currently have a Club record of nine Indigenous players on the AFL list, while the Korin Gamadji Institute (KGI) is celebrating 10 years of existence.
Korin Gamadji means “Grow and Emerge” in Woiwurrung, the language of the Wurundjeri peoples, the Traditional Owners of the land on which Punt Road Oval is situated.
KGI and its core values of connection, community, and culture have enabled the Club to emerge as leaders of reconciliation and social justice.
Richmond was one of the first organisation’s in Australia to be formally recognised with Elevate status for its Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP), and the KGI has been able to impact over 2000 young Indigenous people across the state.
Richmond CEO Brendon Gale said the contributions of Indigenous people, including players, coaches and staff, enriched the Club every day.
“It is important to recognise and celebrate Indigenous Australians' achievements on the journey to reconciliation,” he said.
“A symbolic way we can do this each year is through our Dreamtime jumper, which allows our fans to learn more about Indigenous culture through the lens of our players using traditional art.
“It is fantastic that our Victorian fans will have the opportunity to see the jumper up close on Sunday and heart-warming that this year’s story centres around the impact our Club has had on two players’ sense of identity and relationship with Indigenous Australia.”
Richmond has worn 11 different Dreamtime jumpers in the AFL. The Club also wore an Indigenous designed guernsey, also created by Kerrin, for the first time at AFLW level in 2021.
The Club thanks the KGI’s partners Culture is Life, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria, who are leading Victorian’s on the path to Treaty, and Deadly & Proud for their support of Richmond’s Indigenous programming.
