WAFL players don special NAIDOC Round jumpers

The West Australian Football League, in partnership with Rio Tinto, will celebrate the contributions that the Aboriginal community has made and continues to make to WA football when WAFL NAIDOC Round is held this Saturday, July 8.

All WAFL clubs playing in the Round will wear uniforms designed to represent the heritage of the club and their Aboriginal players and for the first time two WA Women’s Football League teams will also don NAIDOC designed jumpers.

A NAIDOC football designed by Samantha Mitchell, daughter of Claremont Football Club Legend Michael Mitchell, pictured below, and featuring the family names of some of the great Aboriginal players that have played in the WAFL will be used for NAIDOC Round games. Special guests and activities will also feature at WAFL games to mark the Round.

WAFL General Manager Steve Hargrave said NAIDOC Week was a terrific opportunity for the competition to celebrate the magnificent contribution of Aboriginal players to the game.

“Some of Western Australia’s most talented players of all time are Aboriginal and football is very fortunate to have had such a long and proud association with Aboriginal people,” Hargrave said.

“Again this year, WAFL clubs will wear Aboriginal themed jumpers throughout NAIDOC Round to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history and achievements in WA football. We would like to thank Rio Tinto for funding these jumpers.”

WAFL clubs Claremont and South Fremantle initiated WAFL NAIDOC Round in 2007 when they wore jumpers designed by Aboriginal artist Richard Walley. The initiative was embraced by the entire competition in 2009.

Fixtures:

Claremont v South Fremantle