Richmond’s jumper was designed byMarlion Pickett,together with his partner Jessica Nannup,and features Pickett’s family totem,The Kaarak,a red-tailed black cockatoo.
The cockatoo is represented as flying on the design,to signify the Pickett family’s move from Perth to Melbourne. They will wear black shorts as the home side on Saturday night.
Meanwhile,Essendon’s strip was designed byAnthony McDonald-Tipungwuti. It features the footprints of the Bombers’ past First Nations players,while also representing “the pathway and journey through different terrains and lands to the NEC Hangar,our central meeting place”,according to the Bombers’ website.
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When the clubs revealed their designs earlier this month,both said on their websites they would wear the jumpers for the Dreamtime game,but the potential clash only became clear afterEssendon’s Tex Wanganeen and Richmond’s Maurice Rioli junior were pictured together on Monday in the guernseys as part of a promotional launch of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
The AFL were contacted byThe Age on Monday,but did not respond before deadline. Essendon and Richmond declined to comment on a potential clash.
Richmond have eight Indigenous players on their list. Shane Edwards (Arrernte country),Daniel and Maurice Rioli (Tiwi Islands),Shai Bolton and Marlion Pickett (Noongar) all played in Saturday’s game against Hawthorn.