The best on show as AFLW celebrates Indigenous Round with stunning jumper designs

As the AFLW prepares to celebrate Indigenous Round we look at some of the best unique strips that will be on display and the personal stories behind them.

Kuwarna (Adelaide)

Developed by forward Izak Rankine alongside his cousin Harley Hall, there’s no doubt the stand-out feature is the Crow extending its wings in the middle of the jumper.

Given Kuwarna’s primary colours of Navy blue, red and gold already fit well into traditional Indigenous colours its overarching themes of connection is poignant given it depicts Rankine’s journey from South Australia to the Gold Coast and back home again.

“I’ve got a big family and I always wanted to come home and be a role model, a leader for young kids growing up in the same position as I was as a young kid,” Rankine said.

It results in a cohesive design that while personal to Rankine still allows for the broader connection to the Crows and Adelaide to shine.

GWS

Like many of the jumpers that will be on show across the next fortnight, the design is the same as the one the men wore in Sir Doug Nicholls Round earlier this season.

However, their a few that embody the theme of this year’s Indigenous Round of Spirit Strong, Game On than the Giants’.

Designed by proud Gomeroi man Kayleb Waters the incorporation of the kangaroo/bandaar inside the ‘G’ is by far one of the more unique animal designs on offer and a symbol of strength.

The circles represent people gathering and sitting as one, while the orange tones shine on the black background.

Walyalup (Fremantle)

One of the few designs that is totally original for the AFLW side already earns the Dockers strip extra points.

Done by former player Tiah Toth and her sister Breeanna Haynes to reflect the former’s football journey, the chevron is incorporated in the design with each line taking on its own meaning while the flower is a symbol of The Kimberley Stolen Generation Aboriginal Corporation.

Willie Wagtails are the family totem and are featured on the side while the design is built around the Toth’s journey circle.

“The story for me is more about my journey through the Football Club, obviously being able to come back twice with the luck of being drafted again after a couple of injuries,” Toth explained.

Yartapuulti (Port Adelaide)

It’s not the most intricate design on the list but there’s something to be said about giving fewer elements room to shine.

Designed by midfielder and Jaru woman Jasmin Stewart the layout draws inspiration from Port’s 2004 flag guernsey with a snake replacing the lines that split the retro strip.

There’s a nod to WA with Jaru country situated in the Kimberley region with the artwork inspired by her grandfather whose signature is incorporated into the design while the teal top represents Caroline Pool in Northern WA.

In the bottom left, there is a meeting place that is taken straight from her grandfather’s artwork.

“It means so much to represent my culture and my family and me in this jersey,” Stewart said. “It’s really special and not everyone gets this opportunity, so I took a lot of care with how I designed it and it’s come out better than I ever expected.

Richmond

Like the Eagles’ design, Richmond’s jumper is the same as their male counterparts but colour-swapped to have yellow as the base instead of black.

Designed by Maurice Rioli Jnr it features two family totems in the turtle representing the father and the crocodile (mother) and other symbols from his Tiwi Islands heritage.

The black-on-yellow just stands out more helped by the colour shading which lightens as it approaches the middle which draws the eye towards the spectacular art.

The strip is packed with artwork while keeping the neutral base ensures it’s not overwhelmed.

Waalitj Marawar (West Coast)

The design is almost identical to the one by Indigenous artist Loretta Egan that the men wore earlier this season with one key difference. While the men were predominately gold the women have got a royal blue background instead.

It elevates the guernsey to the next level allowing the Eagle a more pronounced presence with its striking golden head having greater contrast against the blue while the other accents such as the Eagles tracks and stars also benefit

The men’s guernsey was already considered by many to be one of West Coast’s best, but the colour swap really allows for more of the intricate details to shine. It’s a shame this version isn’t available to buy.