Williamstown players design club's 2023 Indigenous jumper

Jackson Clark Published May 19, 2023 at 4.00pm (AWST)

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Williamstown Football Club players will wear the club's Indigenous jumper for the club's Wamarra Indigenous rounds. (Image: Williamstown Football Club Instagram)

VFL club Williamstown have unveiled its 2023 Indigenous jumper, designed by some of the club's players.

Proud Ningy Ningy woman Aliesha Newman designed the guernsey in consultation with Seagulls teammate Danica Pedersen and former Seagulls player Jaylon Thorpe.

According to the club, the jumpers are proudly supported by corporate partner Wamarra, an Indigenous owned and operated civil contracting business based in Melbourne's west.

Newman discussed the meaning of the jumper design on Williamstown's official website.

"The 'yarning circle' with the symbols around the outside represent both the men's and women's VFL teams," Newman said.

The Williamstown VFL side will wear the jumper in their match against Carlton on Sunday. (Image: supplied, Williamstown Football Club)

"The four handprints are a symbol of the club's values: Respect, Professional, Inclusive & Proud. Within the blue area of the jumper, I've created the water aspect, which is a representation of the surrounding beaches that Williamstown is famously known for.

"The eagle on the back (Bunjil the Creator) is to pay our respects to the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation in which Williamstown's home ground is located.

"Footprints represent those who have walked before us and those who will walk in our footprints after our football careers are finished, knowing that everyone within the Williamstown community has our back and we are all on this journey together."

Newman re-joined the Seagulls for the 2023 VFLW season and has currently featured in 48 games at AFLW level.

The 27-year-old originally joined Melbourne as a free agent in time for the inaugural AFLW season in 2017.

The Williamstown VFLW side wore the design in their six point loss to Casey on Saturday. (Image: supplied, Williamstown Football Club)

She spent four seasons at the Demons, followed by a brief stint at Collingwood before joining Sydney for the club's first season in the AFLW.

Newman played nine games for the Swans last year and became the club's first-ever female Indigenous footballer.

The Williamstown jumper and Indigenous-themed round is one action stemming from the club's Inclusive Plan.

The VFL team will wear the jumper for the first time this weekend in a clash against Carlton, while the VFLW wore this design during last round's clash against Casey Demons.

Williamstown are currently sitting in 5th position on the VFL ladder and in 10th position in the VFLW competition.