The Western Bulldogs men’s and women’s teams will showcase the Club’s Indigenous guernsey across rounds 10 and 11, to celebrate Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.
 
The men’s team will wear the guernsey for the first time in round 10, with both sides to showcase the design in round 11 as the Bulldogs women’s side host Western Australia followed by the AFL side’s match against West Coast on Sunday 5 June.
 
The guernsey has been designed by a Ballarat-based group of Indigenous artists, the Pitcha Makin Fellas.
 
Bulldogs players Koby Stevens and Joel Hamling met with the artists in February during the design process to further understand the meaning behind the design.
 
"What it symbolises is an elder statesman within the community showing leadership and good guidance to the younger people.

"It's a big thing within our community to show leadership to the younger people growing up.

"It's always a good round every year to show some leadership in the Indigenous community and to be able to wear a jumper I'm pretty proud of."
 
The figure in the centre of the guernsey, known as the Great Black Pointer, is a reference to a traditional figure in the history of Indigenous people.
 
The Great Black Pointer is pointing the way for all, giving direction and showing a path to follow. It is also a reference to the courageous people in our community who stand against injustice.
 
The boomerang in the chest of the figure is a reference to the traditional ways of the Indigenous community and the boomerang has been painted in the Bulldogs colours of red, white and blue.
 
The pattern in the background of the guernsey is from a Pitcha Making Fellas painting called Blackmanland – The Fellas Coat of Arms which embraces their strong sense of self and their country.
 
The design also features the golden wattle and the big blue of the Australian sky.
 
The artwork that has been used to design the guernsey is on exhibition at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre at the Melbourne Museum until 26 June.

BUY NOW: Visit the Bulldogs Shop now to purchase the new Western Bulldogs Indigenous Round Guernsey.