The Western Bulldogs will honour Brett Goodes’ contribution to the Club by wearing the Indigenous guernsey featuring his story for a second consecutive year, in this week’s 2020 Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
The guernsey tells Goodes’ personal life story, told through themes of ‘family’, ‘culture’ and ‘club’ - pivotal values in the hearts and minds of Indigenous people.
Goodes enjoyed a long association with the Bulldogs through a number of roles – as a player welfare manager, a 22-game AFL player, the Club’s Ballarat Engagement Manager and more recently as Indigenous Programs Manager, heading the execution of the Bulldogs’ Reconciliation Action Plan and working closely with its Next Generation Academy.
Late last year, he relocated back to his home state of South Australia to take up an opportunity to work with his brother Adam, the Sydney Swans’ two-time Brownlow Medallist, Australian of the Year and one the country’s outstanding leaders.
Carrying on from Goodes’ leadership role, the Club is committed to continuing to build an environment which ensures access and opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Goodes worked closely on the design for the Indigenous guernsey with renowned Victorian based Wagiman artist Nathan Patterson, who interpreted the story through his artwork, creating one of the most popular and impactful guernseys the Bulldogs have released for the AFL’s annual Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
Patterson is no stranger to creating guernsey artwork for this special week in the football calendar. He has created an inspiring legacy over the years, with his art and collaborative work imprinted in the fabric of the game.
The Club will conduct an online auction of the 22 guernseys worn by the players in this Saturday’s game against Melbourne, with proceeds to be allocated to Indigenous programming.
The guernsey design, explained in the words of Brett Goodes:
Family – “The most important element, and the centrepiece of the design, represents my love for family; sitting at a campfire with my brothers Jake and Adam, and my mother Lisa.”
Culture - “I am of Adnyamathanha & Narungga descent (South Australia). Adnyamathanha, also known as the ‘Rock People’ of the Flinders Ranges, is represented in the artwork with the sun rising on Akurra (giant water snake) moving and shaping the Ranges around him. Narungga people are also known as the ‘Butterfish Mob’ of the Yorke Peninsula (represented bottom left).”
Club - “At the bottom of the design there are three footballs and three circles, representing my connection to the Club; my first role as player welfare manager, my role working in Indigenous programs and my time as a player spanning over eight years.”
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