ROUNDS 9 and 10 of this year’s AFL Women’s season sees the celebration of Indigenous Round, celebrating Firsts Nations culture in this country and their contributions to the game.

There will be matches all over the country, but it all culminates in the Dreamtime match, which takes place in Darwin this year for the first time. Both combatants in tonight’s Dreamtime match are excited to pull on their respective Indigenous jumpers and play in the special match tonight.

“Yeah, it’s really exciting,” Tiger Maddie Shevlin said.  

“Obviously Morris Rioli Jr designed ours and to be wearing the same jumpers that our men’s program has this year, it’s exciting to be playing in Darwin, the home of Indigenous football.”

Essendon co-captain Stephanie Cain agreed.

“I’ve had the opportunity of going up to Darwin a couple of times, so we know how much the community up there love football. So to bring AFLW up to the top end where female footballers continue to grow is really exciting,” she said.

It is especially an important round for the competition’s Indigenous players.

“It’s really important, not only for myself but I think that being able to celebrate my culture and other cultures as well and have it put on a stage like this and have a lot of other clubs celebrate it, I think that it’s really special,” Hawk Mattea Breed said.

“I think there’s a lot of learning that’s involved and the opportunity to do that and to teach others, but also learn a bit more yourself as well.”

Pie Kalinda Howarth shared Breed’s sentiments.

“I think it’s just the perfect opportunity to celebrate all the special players we have in the league and our culture. I think it’s also, when playing as well, it’s an awesome opportunity to represent your family,” Howarth explained.

“It’s my nieces and nephews, it’s always their favourite round of the year. They get to see all their their idols and role models play and be celebrated, which is super special.”

This year’s Indigenous Round comes at a poignant year, just over a year after the Referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

But as Howarth put it, “I think Indigenous Round’s important every year regardless of political outcomes.”

“Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion and their own vote, and there’s a pros and cons to every decision that’s ever made. But I think the focus is firmly on the community this round.”