By Ethan Benedicto
With the sun grazing the horizon, young players from the Clyde Cougars Football Club in Clyde were eager to get their cleats on the field, not knowing that some of their favourite footy players were waiting just around the corner.
Working on a ruse of the usual Wednesday night training, seven footy players were waiting to surprise the young players on 14 May with brand new, Indigenous guernseys ahead of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round this season.
Zac Williams, midfielder for the Carlton Blues, said that as someone who is part Indigenous, the initiative “is really important”.
“Not only from the Indigenous perspective, but just the multicultural aspect as well.
“We’ve got the Sir Doug Nicholls Round coming up over the next two weeks, and I’ve been a part of a few of them now, and it’s always really cool to run out with a designed jersey that these artists have put a lot of effort into,” he said.
However, some young players with sharp ears and eyes noticed the centre more abuzz with cameras, and people they’ve never seen before.
By 5pm sharp, the eager youth gathered just outside the field, as Zac Williams, Bradley Hill and Dyson Heppell blitzed from outside a change room.
Following after them were Tom Lynch, Sam Docherty, Luke Davies-Uniacke and Deanna Berry, with smiles, and a handful of new, Indigenous-designed jerseys in their hands.
Bradley Hill, wingman for the St Kilda Swans, said that “it’s awesome coming in and giving the kids a bit of love”.
“I know how special it would have been had some of my heroes come to our footy clubs.”
Speaking on inclusivity and advocacy around Indigenous Australians as someone who is also part Indigenous, Hill said that it’s amazing “how much it’s grown, especially in AFL”.
“Even now, to see a grassroots level (event) with people getting new jerseys is pretty awesome.
“Around 14 years ago, when I first started, it was only the teams that were getting these jerseys, and to see these clubs doing it now, it’s awesome and I’m very proud to see people running around with these jumpers,” he said.
The players were met with loud cheers, as the jerseys, designed by Indigenous artist Kaitlyn Boyer, were handed out to the eager children who were enamoured by seeing their favourite stars.
The Clyde Cougars Football Club are one of the 33 national clubs that decided to use their Telstra Footy Grant to recognise and celebrate Indigenous communities, and also raise cultural awareness.
