Port Adelaide Football Club unveils Indigenous guernsey for Sir Doug Nicholls Round match against Fremantle

Port Adelaide will proudly wear an Indigenous guernsey by a young Murray Bridge designer in the team’s clash with Fremantle on Sunday.

Port Adelaide’s 2021 Indigenous guernsey is one like no other.

Not only because of the striking design on the black jumper but because for the first time Port players will wear a guernsey created by a student from the club’s Aboriginal Power Cup.

The industry-leading program, focusing on engaging young people in Aboriginal culture, education, healthy lifestyle choices, teamwork, leadership and life skills long with a football carnival, was cruelled twice in 2020.

But Port have ensured there will be a lasting result from the work from last year, with Power Cup participant Ariarna Rigney’s design used for the club’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round match against Fremantle next Sunday at Adelaide Oval.

Rigney, 17 of Murray Bridge High School, said it took her two months to come up with the design - which would have been used for her school’s guernsey in the Power Cup if it was held.

“Seeing it now is crazy because I had to picture it before and I couldn’t really,” she said.

“I’m just so happy. It has turned out amazing and better than I thought.

Port Adelaide Indigenous players Jarrod Lienert, Lachie Jones, Steven Motlop, Trent Burgoyne, Karl Amon, Joel Garner and Sam Powell-Pepper wearing their new jumper at Alberton Oval. Picture Simon Cross

“I put a lot of time into it and just poured my heart out.”

Rigney said her design had three main aspects.

“The top design is just the ancestors, Dreamtime stories and people looking over us,” she said.

“The bottom of the painting it represents the skin colour, sand, animals, dirt, anything.

“The line in the middle that is the river, it represents food source, water, a river that we follow to go somewhere.

“The footprints in the river are food source.”

One of Port Adelaide’s Indigenous players Steven Motlop said he loved the design.

“It is really special with Ariarna being a part of the Power Cup, the detail behind it is really special,” he said.

“As an indigenous player I’m really proud to wear it.”

Picture Simon Cross

Motlop said he was excited for the AFL’s Indigenous round, and celebrating everything about his culture.

“If I think about Sir Doug Nicholls round I think of the contribution that past players have made to the game and for myself I get to represent all my family back home in Darwin,” he said.

“It is about embracing our culture and we have seen clubs in the lead up to games making tools, boomerangs and spears and cooking with indigenous ingredients.

“It’s all about coming together.”

In the lead-up to the clash against Fremantle Port will also conduct the Power Cup next week - now in its 14th edition - at Karen Rolton Oval with the finals to be held prior to the match at Adelaide Oval.

Port’s Indigenous guernsey will be available to purchase at the Port Store at Alberton on Friday along with a limited-edition range of hoodies and scarfs with the design on them.

Originally published as Port Adelaide Football Club unveils Indigenous guernsey for Sir Doug Nicholls Round match against Fremantle