Club legend Michael Johnson and cousin Daniel McHenry have paid respect to their family bloodlines in the Club’s Indigenous Jumper this year, which will be worn during Walyalup’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round games against Euro–Yroke (St Kilda) and Collingwood.
Walyalup’s 2024 Indigenous Jumper is designed by Daniel McHenry in collaboration with Michael Johnson.
Johnson is the games record holder for the Club by an Indigenous player and sits equal-fourth overall for the most games played for Fremantle (244 games – equal with Luke McPharlin).
The Design
“It is about the bloodlines, where we come from, and who has paved the path for us young Aboriginal men and women in our families,” Johnson said.
The colours on the design (Red, Green, Purple and White) are all callbacks to the first Fremantle jumper Johnson wore, but also represent Daniel and Michael’s family origins.
The green represents Ballardong country (the towns of Quairading and Badjaling) from which Johnson and McHenry’s Nan hails from.
The red represents Kija country (Halls Creek), the red dirt country that Johnson and McHenry’s Pop hails from.
Leading to the middle and at the forefront of the design, the Moort (family) is represented by the male and female figures of Johnson and McHenry’s Moyran (grandparents) getting married in the Wheatbelt, surrounded by their Koorlanka (children).
When looking at the jumper the bloodline paths that lead off from the Moort to the top of the design represent McHenry (right) and Johnson (left) with their five and three Koorlanka.
Their Koorlanka’s bloodlines continue, representing the stories that are yet to be told on their journeys.
“All along I wanted to bring along the Elders and show that we respect what they’ve done in the paving of the path for a lot of us younger generations of Ballardong Noongars,” Johnson said.
The Karli (Boomerang) and Ketj (spears) replace the home and away guernsey chevrons in a callback to the anchor which was on the original Fremantle jumper Johnson wore.
“Bringing the anchor back but putting it in our way with the spears and the Boomerang is one of my favourite elements on the jumper,” McHenry said.
“It’s the jumper that I wore, and it is the colours that I supported when I was younger, so to bring it back into this design is a special moment for us,” Johnson explained.
“I just can’t wait to see the boys run out with the jumper on and represent the Club.”
At the top of the jumper is a hibiscus flower, which is known as both the Stolen Generation and also the National Sorry Day Flower. It’s a symbol of strength, healing and resilience.
The Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation have given Fremantle permission to use the flower in the Indigenous jumpers across Freo’s men’s and women’s teams. Visit kimberleystolengeneration.com.au to purchase your own flower and learn more about the important work they are undertaking in our community.
The back of the jumper features a reference to previous Indigenous jumpers designed by Roger Hayden, Dale Kickett and Richard Walley, incorporating their designs, with their permission, and continuing Johnson’s theme of paying respect to those that have come before.
The Kooyar (frog) is the family totem for Johnson and McHenry. It is connected within the bloodline of the story and sits firmly besides the ensemble of past and present Indigenous names who have represented Fremantle throughout the Club’s 30 years.
“We have all our past and present players with our totem there in the frog which is a big part of our life as well and our culture,” McHenry said.
