Newly amalgamated Wimmera Football League club Southern Mallee Thunder celebrated Indigenous Round last weekend with a strong win over Nhill at the Rainbow Recreation Reserve on Saturday
The club held a smoking ceremony and welcome to country, conducted by Uncle Warren Nelson, as well as awarding special edition Indigenous Round Medals to those adjudged best afield in both football and netball games.
For the past couple of weeks, the Thunder has donned its inaugural Indigenous jumpers, which were designed by one of the senior players in Thomas Long.
The club detailed on social media the many design elements that the jumper included.
"Southern Mallee Thunder is excited to unveil the club's inaugural Indigenous guernsey, designed by our very own Tommy Long," the post read.
"The top of the guernsey features boomerangs and a wedge-tailed eagle, a native animal to the Mallee, symbolising the area and its people. The smaller boomerang incorporates a sun, representing the intense Mallee summers.
"At the centre, men are depicted gathering, specifically for footy (and) on the sides, the design shows the four towns coming together to form our club. The bottom of the guernsey portrays the endless desert, complete with meeting places and tracks where locals venture during their time off work."
"On the back of the guernsey, the centre bottom features the wedge-tailed eagle once again. The bottom left showcases a faded orange circle with lines representing a meeting place, while the bottom right displays a faded orange whirly circle symbolising community.
"The design is enriched with circles in both Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander colours, using hues of orange, white, black and various browns to represent the land and people all around the area."
The Thunder were formed at the end of 2023 after the merger of the Southern Mallee Giants and Jeparit-Rainbow Football Club due to struggles to field junior teams.
The senior team has a handful of Indigenous players, including Long and talented Northern Territory Football League players Nick Yarran and Thomas Clarke.
Yarran – an NTFL representative player and dual premiership winner with St Marys – has been excellent for the Thunder and kicked six goals in the club's win over Dimboola in Round 15.
Clarke has also produced strong football and kicked four goals in last Saturday's win, taking his season tally to 26, which places him second overall for the club.
