When Richmond run out for Dreamtime at the 'G on Friday night, its players will carry one of the bravest First Nations legacies the game has witnessed following Michael Mitchell's brief but equally brilliant 81-game career at the AFL club.

It will come with a spectacular iteration of the famous sash for the most celebrated part of Sir Doug Nicholls Round, while moving away from the Tigers' yellow on black colour scheme for the first time since the club nominated to wear the AFL's inaugural Indigenous guernsey in 2011.

The club wanted to pay tribute to the stunning impact Mitchell had from 1987 until 1991 before multiple head knocks and ensuing concussions which the lightly-built star sustained would limit his MCG appearances to just 22.

While the design was never going to go ahead without the creative input of Mitchell's far more artistic daughters, Sam and Meghan, the one criteria Mitchell insisted on was the throwback to his golden era in which the rover electrified the Punt Road faithful.

"You'll notice that (the guernsey) will have proper yellow, my old gold, in that yellow and black," he said.

"When they gave me the brief, I said to the club that I don't like the (current) yellow and said to the club, respectfully, 'I like this yellow' from when I played.

"That is how much that jumper means to me still.

"They embraced all that and, look, our story is fantastic."

Richmond may have commissioned this Tiger's tale, but Mitchell brings it to life in the design with the clear, vibrant blue and turquoise-colour waters of Shark Bay - Gathaagudu, translating to 'two waters' in the traditional, local Malgna language.

The stunning World Heritage site is traditional Country the Yamatji and Nyamal saltwater man has always called home.

That journey transplanted onto the guernsey also mimics his playing days through three football clubs which played significant roles in shaping the 64-year-old's life - Carnarvon's Warriors, Claremont and, of course, Richmond.

"It was all very special - it will never happen again," Mitchell said.

"I don't know what possible scenario it would be, but Richmond has been great to me over those years (and) Claremont has also been great to me over the years...and to have my daughters do this for me - they took the brief, did it beautifully, and delivered."

Richmond proudly described Mitchell's design as a "cultural anchor point for the club" with cultural capability manager, Luke Murray, saying the guernsey "tells a strong, powerful story about his family, his football journey, his people and connection to the land".

"We wanted the watermark in the background to be the three main football areas of dad: so, we put the MCG, Claremont Football Club and the Warriors in," Mitchell's daughter, Sam, added.

"We wanted something to stand out more so in the sash.

"We wanted to also incorporate the red, meaning the cliffs of Shark Bay for its dirt, and the blue for the saltwater people.

"The turtle is very significant to us, so it was important to get the dugong in with the turtle, and then it was to put in that journey of going from the MCG back home to Carnarvon.

"The final touch was that we really, really needed the red-tailed cockatoo - it is probably the most significant part of connection for all of us; it connects our family back."

With the two sides occupying the bottom of the ladder, Richmond is set to face Essendon for the much-anticipated showpiece representing Aboriginal culture without having an Indigenous player draped in Mitchell's guernsey.

Maurice Rioli Jnr is sidelined with a hamstring injury while Rhyan Mansell is recovering from foot surgery after suffering a recent bone stress setback.

Yorta Yorta man Jade Gresham was the only First Nations player selected to play for the Bombers.