Freo’s number one ticket holder and a club legend have joined forces to design Frementle’s new indigenous guernsey, with the jumper unveiled at Thursday’s season launch at Crown Perth.
The jumpers will be worn away to Adelaide in round 10 and at home to St Kilda in round 15.
Richard Walley, who is an indigenous elder, musician and writer, teamed up with 1997 Doig Medallist Dale Kickett for the new design.
The design continues the theme of Fremantle’s original indigenous jumper, with the three chevrons altered to boomerangs to represent the past, present and future of the club.
The guernsey also features artwork around the body of the jumper, with the disc in the centre representing the three layers of the club.
The innermost layer signifies the body of the club in the playing group, who are at the centre of the club, with the four sections also representing the four quarters of a football game.
The next layer symbolises the heart of the club in the football staff, administration and board members, who provide the support network around the players and help the club’s heart to beat.
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The outer layer signifies the all important spirit of the club which is represented by each of the club’s members and fans, who provide waves of energy through their unwavering loyalty and passionate support.
The wider design denotes the six Nyoongar seasons, which are Birak, Bunuru, Djeran, Makuru, Djilba and Kambarang - and the waves of energy that flows through each of these seasons as nature changes during the year.
From a football perspective, the six seasons represent the waves of emotions and energy, and the ebbs and flows felt within a football game and throughout the season - with the energy becoming stronger towards climactic finish.
Kickett, who was a special guest at the season launch, spoke about how he and Walley came up with the design.
“My input was to get my ideas on a sheet of paper,” Kickett said.
“Richard modernised my artwork, we borrowed from the Noongar culture, our culture, using the six seasons and we came up with this design.”
Alongside fellow indigenous player Jon Griffin on the stage, Danyle Pearce spoke of his pride of playing in indigenous round.
“It’s an amazing round, and it’s come a long way in my time in the AFL,” Pearce said.
“We have 10 indigenous players at our club, and Freo has a strong tradition on indigenous players.
“We definitely get a special feeling running out in the jumper.”
