SANFL clubs have run out at the commencement of NAIDOC Week for the first of two weekends to mark its First Nations rounds wearing intricate Indigenous guernseys.
The celebration this year has been extended to include support to the 493 registered Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander SANFL juniors for their inaugural First Nations round.
The commemoration to the state's significant contribution of past and present players has been highlighted in the stories behind the 10 unique designs.
Family connections and Indigenous relationships provided most inspiration.
Adelaide's SANFL guernsey focuses a reconnection of lost family links between AFLW premiership player Danielle Ponter and Anmatyerr artist April Napangardi Campbell from the Ti Tree community in the Northern Territory.
The pair only recently met in Adelaide for the first time after Ponter's grandfather on her mum's side was forcibly removed from traditional lands as a two-year-old.
The theme of Ponter's long lost aunty's guernsey was connection after the opportunity to create the artwork came from many phone calls reliving the traumatic past.
Campbell's theme centres on creating a sense of belonging, strength and community.
Port Adelaide chose to celebrate the career of Peter Burgoyne and three generations of his family in a unique collaboration with artist Laz Gein.
Playing for the Yartapuulti guernsey during First Nations rounds, son Jase Burgoyne wore the design that depicts a spread-winged Eagle – the totem of grandfather Peter Snr, the proud Mirning and Kokatha elder and once Port Adelaide 1970s player.
The design included a majestic southern right whale across the back of the strip, with emu tracks surrounding both sides.
The sacred whale that also featured is a cultural totem of Burgoyne's grandmother signified the vast journey of the family.
Woodville-West Torrens turned to its Barngarla, Kokatha and Wirangu board member Devinia Binell to lay out the guernsey.
The design was to illustrate the club's community connections.
The large circles of the artwork is about the club while five smaller circles represent its wide network, focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The back of Central Districts' guernsey is dedicated to three of its Indigenous players.
The totems of the Lochowiak brothers is detailed with Mihail's eagle, Anzac's fire and Jacob's lizard that is captured with connected circles and dots to embody dreamtime.
Norwood's SANFLW player Tesharna Maher who is behind the design celebrated her diverse Indigenous family.
Maher is Western Aranda and Yankunytjatjara Pitjantjatjara, her father is a Yamaitji man while mum is a Kokatha and Gurrinji woman.
The design additionally includes Maher's journey from Darwin to Adelaide, her Willie Wagtail totem and the "big meeting place" of the clubs and the league.
Sturt had drawn up part of its guernsey dedicated to 1960s player Roger Rigney, who in theme with the 2023 NAIDOC Week highlights wisdom and leadership as an Elder.
Rigney's significant No.4 from his playing days is displayed on the right shoulder.
