Richmond has unveiled its 2023 Indigenous jumper designed by current assistant coach Xavier Clarke and his family.
Clarke – a proud Larrakia and Amrreamo/Marritjavin man – worked alongside the club's apparel manufacturer Puma to create the design.
Featuring a predominantly yellow strip as the away team, the artwork on the sash originates from a painting by Xavier's uncle Timothy Dumoo.
It depicts a traditional dance from Clarke's people, the Marri Ammu Marri Tjevin clan of the Moyle River floodplains.
A statement released by Richmond describes the significance of the Wangka (dance):
"The Wangka tells the story of Elders calling out to their ancestors to protect and guide people while on Country. It represents looking after each other and looking after family.
"(Clarke) had found a similar trait, particularly between teammates. To depict this, the design includes 42 Merrepen leaves representing each player on the list.
"In Clarke's family culture, the Merrepen leaf is used to make woven dilly bags, fishing nets, and other fibre-craft products. The design further includes a Dugong image outside the sash, representing the Larrakia totem of Clarke's great, great grandmother's side, highlighting a strong family link to the sea surrounding Darwin."
Clarke said he felt honoured to design the guernsey.
"I have two girls at home, and Zena is now four. She was pretty excited last year that Marlion (Pickett) designed the jumper, and she got to wear one, and she is even more excited this year that I have been able to design it, and she gets to wear that as well," he said.
"That probably makes me prouder than anything, but also probably looking back in a few years, no doubt."
Clarke had a 106-game AFL career with St Kilda and the Brisbane Lions after originally being picked with selection number five in the 2001 AFL National Draft.
He joined Richmond as a development coach in 2017 after leading the NT Thunder to a premiership in the NEAFL.
The Tigers will wear the jumper against Essendon in the annual Dreamtime at the 'G clash in Round 10 as the marquee event of a two-week Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
It will be the 19th Dreamtime clash with Richmond taking the honours 12 times to six.
