NRL 2021: The stories behind your club’s indigenous jersey

NRL players will wear boots and jerseys with a special meaning during Indigenous Round. These are the stories behind every design.

More than those wearing the boots, the real story belongs to the hands that have painted them.

Hopeful hands, some.

Incarcerated hands, for others.

None of which matters.

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No, what matters is that on the boots of so many NRL stars right across Indigenous Round this weekend — think the likes of Kalyn Ponga, Jack Wighton, Josh Addo-Carr, Dylan Napa, Sam Walker, Angus Crichton and Josh Papalii — these hands will have been given the chance to express how they feel.

Every one of them different, too.

Anthony Walford, Addison Hansen, Ralph Binge, Tyreece Ewers and Larry Kelly, who have painted football boots which will be worn by NRL players ahead of the NRL's upcoming Indigenous Round. Picture: Richard Dobson.

Take those lightening bolts for the kid who, at times, feels overwhelmed. Or on another, a tribute to every indigenous player to have represented the Canberra Raiders.

Some artists have painted the totem of their wearer.

Others, symbols representing the player’s hometown, family lines, perhaps even the colour of his first junior team.

Then there are those who just want to create.

Which is OK, too.

For that is what this weekend, and these boots, are all about — connecting to culture through art.

The brainchild of Newcastle Knights star Connor Watson, the ‘Boots for Brighter Futures’ concept will see dozens of NRL players run out for Indigenous Round in boots designed by young Aboriginal artists.

Overseen by his family, and headed by mum Jodie, the concept has involved collecting boots from various players of all backgrounds at six NRL clubs — Newcastle, Wests Tigers, Melbourne, Canberra, Canterbury and the Roosters.

Then, said boots have not only been shipped out to areas right across NSW and the ACT, but offered up as blank canvases to young indigenous people in Juvenile Justice Centres, hostels, youth groups, even at local high schools.

Indigenous children show off the football boots which will be worn by NRL players ahead of the NRL's upcoming Indigenous Round. Picture: Richard Dobson

“It’s about giving them an opportunity to connect to culture,” Jodie says.

“And some, they want to tell their own story.

“While for others, it’s the story of the player they’re painting for.

“A lot of the artists will actually research the footballer whose boots they have, then display what they’ve learned about their family, their history and so on.”

Importantly, the work is also being done to raise awareness and support for the prevention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth suicide.

After Indigenous Round is completed, all boots will be auctioned off with all monies split between suicide prevention charities and the artists themselves.

For those in Juvenile Justice, the proceeds will go towards arts supplies and classes.

Importantly, the whole task is effectively overseen by the Watson family, with Jodie early last week sending all the boots out from a storage shed at Tuggerah, on the Central Coast.

But as for the biggest task?

“Taking all the laces out,” she laughs. “Then putting them back in again”.

St George Illawarra’s indigenous jersey.

WHAT YOUR CLUB’S INDIGENOUS JERSEY MEANS

Broncos: Line markings show the journeys through life, and circle meeting places are also represented to acknowledge those people we meet that build us as a person.

Bulldogs: The two hands on the front ‘reflect’ history: history of an Aboriginal Bulldogs player and the history of the Dharug Country, the traditional Aboriginal Country in which the club and Belmore Sports Ground are based.

Cowboys: Strong connections between two cultures – the Rainbow Serpent and Kangaroo are strong in the Aboriginal culture’s beliefs, as is the Turtle and Dugong in the Torres Strait Islander culture.

Dragons: The Gathering represents coming together as one on ancestral Dharawal land which much of the Dragons’ catchment covers.

The jersey Canterbury Bulldogs will wear for Indigenous Round.

Eels: Paying respect to the Darug people is Parramatta River which was used by the Burramattagal People, who are a clan of the Darug. The Georges River pays respect to a great Aboriginal warrior, Pemulwuy north of the river.

Knights: The design of the jersey represents the local landscape of Newcastle, the wider region and incorporates the handprints of Connor Watson, Edrick Lee and Gehamat Shibasaki.

Panthers: A tribute to the people, geography, flora and fauna of the Darug Nation.

Rabbitohs: A celebration of the next generation and paying respects to the land in which we train and play on – the lands of the Gadigal and Bidjigal Peoples.

Raiders: Key elements include the Dreamtime story of Mulleun (Wedgetail Eagle) the Ngunnawal totem and Jedbinbilla (Gibraltor Rocks).

The Indigenous Round jersey which will be worn by Manly.

Roosters: Jason Ridgeway’s inspired design took inspiration from both his family as well as his passion for the Tricolours.

Sea Eagles: The design tells the story of the earliest contacts between Aboriginal people, the Eora and the British people who arrived on the First Fleet in 1788 in Manly Cove.

Sharks: Features blue and white dot work to represent the bubbles of the ocean and salt water bays where the Gweagal people of the Dharawal Nation, the Traditional Owners, inhabitants and caretakers of the Land around Kurranulla (Cronulla) have lived for many thousands of years.

Storm: The art on the front panel is in the shape of the state of Victoria (turned sideways). Circles represent the Queensland bubble from the 2020 season and AAMI Park and the people that play their part.

Titans: The mixture of blues represents the Torres Strait Islander players and the sandy tones represent the Aboriginal players.

Warriors: The design is based on Guardianship and Protection and these are inspired by the meaning and Spirit of the Original 1995 Logo.

Tigers: The dot work represents the watering holes used as meeting and gathering points. Traditional symbols used to represent meetings.

Originally published as NRL 2021: The stories behind your club’s indigenous jersey