Big problem with AFL teams’ spectacular Indigenous jumpers

Footy fans have pointed out there is a giant flaw in one team’s jumper as all 18 AFL clubs unveiled their Indigenous-inspired guernseys.

Tex Wanganeen, son of Gavin Wanganeen and Richmonds Maurice Rioli at the MCG ahead of Dreamtime at the G on Saturday night. Photo by Michael Klein.

Footy fans have pointed out the AFL’s Dreamtime at the ‘G match could be headed for a problem after Essendon and Richmond showed off their Indigenous-inspired strips on Monday.

The traditional clash between the Bombers and Tigers is the centrepiece of the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round where the league celebrates everything Indigenous players continue to bring to the game and the country.

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However, footy fans have been commenting on social media there is a significant clash between Essendon’s and Richmond’s predominantly black jumpers.

The Indigenous jumpers on display at the 2022 Sir Doug Nicholls Round Launch. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Even with one team — expected to be Essendon as the away team — wearing white shorts, there is potential for the strips to leave players and fans struggling to distinguish between the two teams.

With Richmond’s Maurice Rioli and Essendon’s Tex Wanganeen fronting a media event to showcase their team’s jumpers, most fans were thinking the same thing.

Did someone say jumper clash? 🤔#AFLpic.twitter.com/Xd7huPHiM5

— SEN 1116 (@1116sen) May 16, 2022

The teams have previously gone to great lengths to avoid jumper clashes and the Bombers last year ran onto the field with a predominantly red jumper.

Small forward Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti was the brains behind the design for Essendon’s 2022 Sir Doug Nicholls Round jumper, but won’t be playing on Saturday night. He is yet to play a senior game in 2021 after taking personal leave earlier this season.

The AFL found itself in an embarrassing situation last year when the Demons’ Indigenous jumper clashed with the Western Bulldogs’ strip.

We got a problem. Photo by Michael Klein

Jesse Motlop, Ben Long, Tex Wanganeen and Maurice Rioli. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

The Demons were forced to wear their normal playing strip because the AFL ruled that the Demons’ majority red Indigenous guernsey was too close to the Bulldogs’ majority blue guernsey.

Saturday night will be the first time the annual Dreamtime clash will be played at the MCG since 2019 after Covid-19 restrictions resulted in the game being played in Darwin and Perth recently.

The AFL is budgeting for a crowd in excess of 70,000.