The Geelong Cats have officially launched their 2019 Indigenous guernsey, designed by player Quinton Narkle.
Narkle, a budding artist, has previously painted boots for teammate Jamaine Jones in his AFL debut and Tom Hawkins for Sir Doug Nicholls Round in 2018.
The club approached the 21-year-old late last year to design the club’s fourth Indigenous guernsey. He has since worked closely with Cotton On’s design team at their Geelong headquarters to apply his design into a guernsey.
The Indigenous guernsey will be worn by the Cats in their Round 10 game on the Gold Coast and Round 11 clash with the Sydney Swans at GMHBA Stadium.
The club will celebrate their eighth annual Djilang Round when they take on the Swans at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday 1st June. During Djilang Round, the club will recognise the impact of our nation’s first people on our great game of Australian Rules Football. Djilang is the Wadawurrung word for Geelong. 
Match day highlights will include a formal Welcome to Country, pre-game performance by the Deadly Dancers, a celebration of the culmination of our Djilang Program which provides connection, exploration and celebration of Aboriginal culture for young people of the Wathaurong community and the Stronger Brother Stronger Sister program where young people come together with Cats players to connect and create art with a focus on Wadawurrung language.
At half-time, Auskick matches and grid games will again be played by Aboriginal children from across the Barwon South West region including participants of the club’s Next Generation Academy.
The VFL will also wear the guernsey in their Round 8 and 9 matches.
The guernsey design is a representation of a number of significant stories including the connection to the Geelong region on Wadawurrung Country, Quinton’s own region in Western Australia, the language of all seven current Geelong Indigenous players and a tribute to club legend Graham ‘Polly’ Farmer.
“It’s a great honour to have been asked to design of the club’s Indigenous guernsey,” Narkle said.
“I wanted the design to represent all seven Indigenous players while recognising their individual language groups.
“The guernsey includes Bunjil, the eagle, the creator of the Wadawurrung and Kulin nations.
The Giant Trevally represents our connection with the Arnhem Land region and the snake-like pattern throughout the whole jumper symbolises the rainbow serpent which is the creator of my own region.
“As a sign of respect for Polly Farmer, his number 5 appears on the front and back of the guernsey. A tribute to him and all he has done for the Geelong Football Club and Indigenous players.”
To recognise and celebrate this weekend’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round, a Welcome to Country will be conducted prior to the club’s open training session at Metricon Stadium on Friday afternoon. On Saturday night, a gift exchange will take place between Geelong and the Gold Coast prior to the bounce. The club will present the Suns with a piece from Wathaurong Glass which incorporates elements of Quinton Narkle’s guernsey design, captain Joel Selwood will also be accompanied to the coin toss by an Indigenous teammate.
Geelong Cats Indigenous players & language groups:
Nakia Cockatoo – Iwaidja/Marrithiyel/Yupangathi
Jamaine Jones - Barkindji
Tim Kelly - Noongar
Nathan Kreuger – Noongar/Ngarrindjeri
Quinton Narkle – Wajuk/Balardong
Brandan Parfitt – Larrakia/Warumungu
Blake Schlensog - Yidinjdji
Cats launch 2019 Indigenous guernsey
Geelong have officially launched their 2019 Indigenous guernsey, designed by Quinton Narkle.
