From its inaugural season to the present day, Walyalup have a proud history of celebrating and embracing Indigenous players.

Roger Hayden was 14 years old in 1995 and remembers being struck by the prevalence of Indigenous players representing Walyalup when the Club entered the AFL.

With dreams of playing at the highest level, he was inspired by Dale Kickett, Winston Abraham, Gary Dhurrkay and Scott Chisholm, who all played in the Club's first game under inaugural coach Gerard Neesham.

Twenty-eight years later and 36 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men, including Hayden, and 12 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have played an AFL or AFLW game for the Club.

Saturday's match against Geelong is an historic occasion for the Club, who have re-named themselves Walyalup for the duration of Sir Doug Nicholls Round and continue to build on their proud Indigenous history.

For Hayden, that lasting connection over such a long period of time was made possible by Walyalup's early prevalence of Indigenous talent under the Club's visionary coach.

"It goes back to when we first entered the competition with Gerard Neesham and his background and thoughts on bringing Dale Kickett and Gary Dhurrkay and Winston Abraham and more to the Club," Hayden, who designed the Walyalup logo, told AFL.com.au.

"To have that from the outset as an AFL club new to the system builds momentum.

"As a younger generation, I was one of those people who saw that as a 14-year-old and it inspires you. You want to play in the AFL and be a part of that.

"I was fortunate enough to be picked up by Fremantle and I've been here ever since."

Hayden occupies a unique position at Walyalup, representing both the past and the future of the Club's proud Indigenous connection.

A star defender in his prime, he played 128 games for Walyalup as a classy half-back with poise and skill before retiring at the end of 2011 due to a long-term foot injury.

He was appointed as a full-time development coach shortly after his retirement and, after nine seasons both in that role and as backline coach, he took up stewardship of Walyalup's successful Next Generation Academy as coach.

It is a program that helps ensure that early connection built with Indigenous and Torres Strait Island players continues, with Walyalup adding nine players to its list through the Academy since 2018, including current players Brandon Walker, Liam Henry, Eric Benning, Conrad Williams and Josh Draper.

"I love it, I can't complain about the role I have here and that connection I have with those communities," Hayden said.

"I'm trying to help guide those young players through to become AFL players and when you see them run out on the oval for their first game, that's special."

Walyalup's Academy program has also been aided by the constant presence of Indigenous role models and leaders, Hayden said, and the supportive culture they have created.

That culture of support and openness, allowing players to be themselves, can be seen in key defender Alex Pearce, who designed this year's Indigenous jumper with Carly Grey.

Hayden remembers Pearce arriving at the Club at the end of 2013 as a quiet, reserved young man who was just hungry to do the work required to play at AFL level.

His heritage as a palawa man was in the background before Walyalup and their Indigenous leaders, including Hayden and star defender Michael Johnson, empowered Pearce to acknowledge and celebrate his history.

"I think just being at Fremantle and where we have come from helps with expressing your culture and being comfortable with who you are," Hayden said.

"We've had a strong Indigenous player culture that has come through right from inception until now. Then previous to that in the WAFL.

"When you have a leader like Michael Johnson, who is really passionate about who he is and his background like myself, that would have made Alex feel a little bit more comfortable in expressing that.

"It's fantastic that he gets an opportunity 10 years into his career as captain of the Club to design a jumper along with Carly Grey.

"It's a wonderful thing for them and their families to acknowledge a celebrate a different Aboriginal culture."

Walyalup held a smoking ceremony on Monday to launch Sir Doug Nicholls Round and Pearce – now captain and an Indigenous leader at the Club – looked on proudly as young teammate Liam Henry spoke about what the Club and its Indigenous history and culture meant to him.

Professor Colleen Hayward AM, a Fremantle board member and senior Noongar woman, spoke about the name Walyalup, which has been used for thousands of generations and will now be used proudly by the Club.

Held at sunrise in the heart of Fremantle at Walyalup Koort, and attended by the Club's players, coaches and staff, the ceremony was another demonstration of the genuine connection Walyalup have to their Indigenous past and present.

Wearing this year's Indigenous jumper on Saturday alongside Pearce will be fellow Indigenous leader Michael Walters, who encouraged his captain to represent himself and his family in this year's jumper design, which includes a map of Tasmania and represents Pearce and Gray's palawa heritage and their journey to Fremantle.

"It represents my family, my journey, how I've been welcomed into the Freo community and the Noongar community," Pearce said after the ceremony.

"It is quite special how everything has come together in the end."

Hayden designed Walyalup's first Indigenous jumper 10 years ago with renowned Aboriginal artist and writer Richard Walley.

As it has been for Pearce, it was a special experience and one that Hayden gets regular reminders about through to his four sons.

"There's still three or four of the jumpers laying around the house and the boys will chuck them on every now and then and wear them to footy training," Hayden said.

"The experience is something I will look back on and cherish, and the jumpers are something the boys can wear with a bit of pride, knowing who they are."

TABtouch 22: One change for Cats clash
Match day Information: Sir Doug Nicholls Round
Remaining home games locked in!