Fremantle’s NAB AFL Women’s team will proudly wear an Indigenous-themed jumper for the first time this Saturday when taking on Collingwood at Fremantle Oval.
The jumper and Indigenous-themed game was an initiative of Fremantle’s AFLW players, who had a key role in the design of a jumper that holds meaning not just for Indigenous Australians, but for all women.
Fremantle midfielder Jasmin Stewart and board member Colleen Hayward had significant input into the jumper’s symbology. The final design was completed by no.1 ticket holder Richard Walley.
A descendant of the stolen generation, Stewart said it would be incredibly meaningful to celebrate her culture at the game.
“Whether I’m playing or on the sideline watching, it’s going to be amazing seeing the girls in the jerseys and getting around our culture. It’ll be an amazing game,” Stewart said.
“A couple of people have said how nicely the jumper’s come together and to play a part in that is really special.”
Hayward said she was proud of the team for driving Fremantle’s first Indigenous jumper.
“It made it really easy to be involved, knowing that the members of the women’s team said this is something we want and we want to celebrate together,” Hayward said.
“I can’t wait to see it take the field. That it’s the first, that the design elements all came from members of our women’s team.”
The jumper will feature the Stolen Generation flower and Fremantle coaches and staff will wear a pin on their lapels.
The native hibiscus flower survives in harsh conditions and is a symbol of strength, resilience, compassion and understanding with the purple colour also symbolising spiritual healing.
Hayward explained the meaning of one of the main design elements on the front of the jumper, with seven icons representing the Seven Sisters.
She said the close bond between the Seven Sisters in Dreamtime stories was analogous to the closeness of Fremantle’s playing group.
“The seven sisters were real people in our dreaming stories, at some stage, someone wanted to split them,” Hayward said.
“Rather than be separated, they leapt into the sky and became stars.
“(The players) are such a tight-knit group, not only in terms of the way they play but in the way they support each other in everything each of them does.
“I think that we’re sticking together no matter what, and no-one’s going to separate us. That’s signified by that constellation, and that’s pretty special.”
As well as the jumper, Fremantle’s Indigenous themed game will have a number of activations for fans at the ground with the support of the club’s Indigenous program partner Woodside.
Michael Johnson, Roger Hayden and volunteers from Woodside will run a kangaroo and buffalo sausage sizzle.
Under the famous fig tree at Fremantle Oval you will be able to get your face painted with Aboriginal dot face painting.
Pre-game, there will an Aboriginal dance group and didgeridoo player leading into team entry.
And Fremantle’s social media channels will switch to the hashtag #KalyakoorlWalyalup, which means Forever Freo in Noongar.
To top it all off, it’s expected to be a blockbuster game with Freo, the top-placed team in Conference B, taking on the second-placed Collingwood.
Bouncedown for the clash is at 4.10pm and fans are encouraged to arrive early with gates opening at 3pm.
