This year the Cats’ Aboriginal players collaborated with a local Aboriginal artist to create an original guernsey in celebration of two very special occasions on the AFL and Geelong calendar.

At the SCG Geelong will pull on its first ever Cats’ Indigenous guernsey for the AFL’s Indigenous Round before bringing it home to Geelong to take on the Bulldogs in Round 16, where the Cats will wear the jumper in recognition of Geelong’s indigenous program Close the Gap.  

Aboriginal player and Close the Gap ambassador, Mathew Stokes, was involved in the development of the guernsey with the help of young artistic talent BJ O’Toole.

Since coming to Geelong, Stokes has heavily involved himself in a number of Indigenous programs and initiatives developed by the Geelong Cats.

Stokes says running out with his teammates donning the Indigenous guernsey will be a significant moment and he acknowledges that such an occasion wouldn’t be possible without the support of the club.  

“It’s going to be a very proud moment to wear that jumper and the club over the last couple of years has really put steps in place committing to a Reconciliation Action Plan and delivering a number of community programs, like Close the Gap and Deadly Choices,” Stokes told Cats TV.

“They’ve really made an effort to understand the problems and areas that need to be improved and the culture and Aboriginal way of life, and this is another really big moment in our club I think and the history.

“I really think the club is doing the right thing and trying to learn and understand the situations and issues that face Aboriginal people.”

Stokes concedes that the jumper alone isn’t the spectacle but what it represents to the Aboriginal players and their wider community.   

“...it’s a great idea and concept with Indigenous Round and our own Close the Gap round, and for the boys that do play that day I think it will be a good time to reflect on the Aboriginal players that have come up before us at our club,” Stokes said.

“Obviously the great (Polly) Farmer would have been in an era where racism was still up and about and rife and I think he broke down some barriers because he was a good footballer..."

Fellow Aboriginal player and Close the Gap ambassador, Steven Motlop, is also looking forward to wearing the Cats first Indigenous guernsey to celebrate the importance of diversity and Aboriginal culture.

“It’s pretty unique for our club we haven’t had it before and it’s great by the club to take that on board and I’m really honored to share the stories on our jumper, I’m really proud,” Motlop said.

To make sure the perfect guernsey was chosen for Indigenous Round, O’Toole spent many hours creating different artworks and liaising with Geelong’s merchandise team and Aboriginal playing group, before presenting the final 3 designs to the whole team to vote on.

The winning design wasn’t chosen for its aesthetics but its symbolic meaning, as each drawing reflects and represents an important message.

The five circular symbols represent the Kulin Nations and the communities. The curves and the spots represent meeting places and communities coming together. And the boomerangs illustrate the players who leave their community to play for Geelong and then return to their communities.

When the Cats pull on the Indigenous guernsey for a second time it will be in support of Close the Gap, a community program initiated by the Geelong Cats to help raise awareness of the alarming health gap between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians.
 
In the lead up to Geelong’s Close the Gap Round, the Geelong Cats will host a four-day camp – The Gathering - for 50 young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders from across the Barwon South West region.

With the help from local Aboriginal community members, Target and Club community partners, Cottage by the Sea and Read the Play, the camp will involve an array of activities, culture and health messages as well as regular visits from the Cats seven Close the Gap Ambassadors.

Before the Cats hit the stage to take on the Bulldogs, there will be a number of significant moments for the crowd will enjoy including a guard of honour from Wathaurong Under 12 State Champions, representation of an Aboriginal player with their captain at the coin toss and an on-field performance by singer-song writer Mick Ryan and Mark Holden, accompanied by local Aboriginal dancers who featured in their film clip.

To purchase your own Indigenous guernsey from the Cats Shop click here.