window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'UA-130109253-5', { 'link_attribution': true });

2022 Indigenous Jumpers – Whitehorse

Share this article

In 2021 Norwood Football Club broke fresh ground by designing and wearing an Indigenous jumper, inspired by two of their key players, Jamie Bennell and Tristian Tweedie’s, journeys, and heritage.

The jumper and initiative were the first of its kind in the Eastern Football Netball League.

Excitingly, several other EFNL clubs have moved to follow Norwood’s lead in 2022 and will wear their own indigenous jumpers this season.

One of those clubs is Whitehorse, who reached out to well-known Aboriginal Artist Rob Naylor, a proud Yuin man, who was born and raised on Dharawal country to design their own indigenous jumper.

Naylor’s work, which can be seen in the image below, was inspired by conversations with Whitehorse alumni James and Robert Thomson.

 

 

Naylor explained that the design mixes both the culture and land on which Whitehorse Football Netball Club reside.

“After hearing from some of the guys that were part of the club and the input they had regarding their background, I came up with this.

“It incorporates their culture with the totem of their mother’s country – the Yorta Yorta people of the Murray River region (also represented by the blue waters in the painting) – and their totem which is the turtle.

“Secondly the Eagle and Crow both represent the land on which the club resides and that’s the Wurundjeri people. The dot circles in the club colours represent the coming together of the community to support and watch the club play football. “

Senior coach Duncan Jones said that the club took the initiative after seeing the success of Norwood’s jumper in 2021.

“We saw Norwood’s jumper last year and it was fantastic, and we thought it would be something progressive for our club to do,

“So, we asked around to see if there had been any indigenous players at the club in recent history and asked if they’d like to be involved in the process.”

“Then we found an artist (Rob Naylor) on Instagram who was keen to help us out, so we got him and the two players James and Rob Thomson in a group chat and we went from there.”

Women’s co-captain Briana Holland also expressed her excitement at the club’s decision to celebrate and acknowledge the traditional owners of the land.

“I’m super excited to wear it (the jumper), I think it’s awesome that we can get on board with something like this,”

Both Whitehorse’s Men’s and Women’s sides will wear the jumper this weekend, with their Women’s side hosting Boronia at 12:30pm before the Men’s sides take on Scoresby with the Senior fixture kicking off at 4:40pm

The club has also organised a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony to be performed by the traditional custodians of the land, the Wurundjeri people, prior to the senior game.

To learn more about the day, follow the link below.

https://fb.me/e/2f4Jo4HHu

 

 

Naming Rights Partner

Major Community Partner

Major Sponsors

Support Sponsors & Suppliers

Community Partners