Essendon Football Club, together with official on-field supplier adidas, has proudly unveiled its specially designed Dreamtime Guernsey commemorating the tenth anniversary of both The Long Walk and Dreamtime at the ‘G.
Artist Thomas Day III, a Gunditjmara/Yorta Yorta man was selected as the club’s competition winner after producing a powerful design inspired by possum skin cloaks.
Possum skin cloaks are a symbolic and prized possession for Gunditjmara people throughout South West Victoria.
Each design inside the possum skin cloak represents strength, power and identity.
Day said the concept also highlights Essendon Football Club’s story and its long association with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
“I didn’t want to modify Essendon’s guernsey too much, so I tried to come up with something unique but I also wanted to tie it in with something that is important to the Gunditjmara/Yorta Yorta people,” Day said.
“Possum skin cloaks are important to us and I wanted to reflect that within the jumper. The cloak represents a story and Essendon’s story is also represented within the cloak.
“Essendon is known as the Aboriginal club - it’s the club where we first saw the Aboriginal flag being flown so if any club deserves to have a jumper that recognises their connection to Aboriginal Australia it is definitely the Essendon Football Club.”
Essendon star Patrick Ryder said he was proud to wear the specially designed guernsey in such a significant milestone year for The Long Walk and Dreamtime at the ‘G.
“It’s always a proud moment to pull on a jumper with the red and black but this jumper in particular is something that our boys will be very proud wearing,” Ryder said.
“The players wanted a jumper for us for the Indigenous Round and it’s something that the Indigenous players at Essendon have pushed for over the last couple of years. Being an Indigenous person, it’s a jumper that I will cherish both now and when I finish playing football.”
Essendon Chief Operating Officer Xavier Campbell said the club was proud of its long history supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people across the country.
“Essendon Football Club has long been acknowledged as a leader in the community, and the club understands its role and responsibility to help strengthen communities through sport,” Campbell said.
“As a club we recognise Indigenous heritage and tradition and importantly, celebrate the achievements of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. The week of Dreamtime at the ‘G particularly showcases that at an AFL level and all of our players can wear the specially designed Dreamtime guernsey with pride knowing the work the club does in that space.”
The Dreamtime guernseys will be available for retail purchase via The Bomber Shop HQ at the True Value Solar Centre, The Bomber Shop at Windy Hill as well as online at bombershop.com.au. The Club would also like to thank adidas for their ongoing support.
The Club will also auction off the match-worn versions of the Dreamtime guernseys with all proceeds being donated to The Long Walk and its associated charity partners.
