Swans player kicks design goal in new jersey for indigenous Round

Lismore Swans will don a new jumper designed by a talented artist and player for the Sir Doug Nicholls Round celebrating the club’s family approach and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and contribution to AFL.

INDIGENOUS JUMPER: Ahead of the indigenous Round on May 29, 2021, players from the Lismore Swans senior men's and women's squads don the distinctive jumper designed by teammate and proud Bundjalung woman, Talarra Berry. L-R Front – Kubilay Karhan and Hendrik Hoogendoorn. Back – Lucas Foenander, Emma Stoddart, Samuel Coates, Laura Cahill, Matthew Schafer and Liv Castanga Photo: Alison Paterson

Players in the Lismore Swans Australian football Club senior men’s and women’s teams will run on to the ground at Oakes Ovals on Saturday wearing new jumpers celebrating their proud indigenous connection.

Designed by Swans player Talarra Berry, 20, the new jersey features a scarlet background and will be the club’s playing jumper for the 2021 season.

The jersey will make its debut during the club’s participation in the Sir Doug Nicholls Round which celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and contribution to Aussie rules.

Although, if the new jersey does not arrive in time from the manufacturer, club president Laura Cahill said players would don the previous indigenous jersey with a white background which Berry also designed a couple of years ago.

In this game the Swans will play the Sawtell Toormina Saints in the AFL North Coast league.

Berry said the two designs, while similar, each have a unique meaning.

“The old one depicted our team members as individuals coming together to make a team and our energies flowing together as one unit,” she said.

“Whereas the new design is about the Goonellabah Roos joining the Lismore Swans to make one club, one family.

“We’re one big family and pretty much my inspiration for the design.”

Berry, who plays in the defence, said she was thrilled to gain have had her artwork chosen by the club she loves so much.

Cahill said the club felt honoured that Berry has shared her talent with the club on and off the field.

“Talarra is a great footy player and very talented artist,” Cahill said.

“We love that she is willing to share her culture with the club on more than one level.”

The indigenous round is always a highlight on the AFL calendar.

This year’s theme is Our Legacy – This is Us and it is celebrated from the elite level to grassroots across the country.

Lismore Swans women's player and talented artist Talarra Berry, 20, has deigned a new jumper for the club to wear which will be debuted on Saturday May 29, 2021 for the game in the Sir Doug Nicholls Round which celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and contribution to Australian football.

“In 2021, Sir Doug Nicholls Round formally takes place from 24 May to 6 June and we will celebrate the games on Saturday May 29,” Cahill said.

“The round is something the Swans have done over a number of seasons,” she said.

“It’s important as not only does our club have a significant number of players across the years who are indigenous, it also celebrates that we always welcome new players, no matter where they have grown up, who love and want to play the game.

“By sharing our players’ heritage, be it from another country or part of Australia, it’s a really important element of the game.”

Young Swannette Talarra Berry, 17, pumped up for the game at the newly refurbished Oakes Oval, home to the Lismore Swans Football Club.

Cahill said the impact Covid-19 was having on manufacturing could see the jumpers not arrive until this weekend.

But she said it is what it is.

“We will use the jumpers Talarra deigned a couple of years ago if the new ones are held up,” she said.

And before the main game about 1.30pm on Saturday, she said they would host a performance by some local indigenous dancers and welcome to country.

“Then the youngest son of one of our players, Andrew Baker who hails from Tennant Creek, Jayvontaye Graham will do the senior men’s coin toss,” Cahill said.

Earlier this quartet of Tennant Creek footy players were recruited for the Lismore Swans senior men’s team – L-R Owen Paterson, Tommy Gillett, Andrew Baker and Bronson Plummer. They all brought incredible Aussie rules expertise, skills, experience and passion to the club. Due to Covid-19 related issues, Baker is the only Tennant Creek player currently lining up for the team. His youngest son Jayvontaye Graham will do the coin toss for the senior men’s game on May 29, 2021. Photo: Alison Paterson