2025 First Nations Round Guernsey Designs

23 May, 2025

As we head into SANFL First Nations Round, to be held across the next two weekends, here is every club’s stunning guernsey design and the unique stories behind them.

First Nations Round, being held in conjunction with National Reconciliation Week, is a celebration and recognition of all SANFL and SANFLW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players past and present who have made, and continue to make, such a significant contribution to our national game.

To celebrate Indigenous culture and heritage during Sir Doug Nicholls Round and SANFL First Nations Round, Adelaide has changed its name to Kuwarna. Pronounced goo-wun-na, Kuwarna is the Kaurna translation for the word Crows.

Kuwarna is proud to unveil its 2025 First Nations guernsey designed by former player and Wirangu man Graham Johncock and Wirangu artist Aunty Christine Tschuna.

The guernsey design tells his story from growing up on the far west coast of South Australia to playing juniors at Mallee Park and SANFL at Port Magpies before being drafted by Kuwarna with Pick No.67 in the 2000 National Draft and eventually returning to Mallee Park at the end of his AFL career.

Family is at the centre of his design with key features including:

–    A large Crow representing Johncock’s late mother.

–    Soaring Crows representing his father and grandmother.

–    Circular male and female symbols representing Johncock’s family.

–    Footprints showing his journey to the Club.

–    Food sources representing regions of the far west coast including Quandong and wolga (Koonibba), blue swimmer crab (Ceduna), shellfish (the whole west coast coastline), butterfish (Sheringa beach) and tuna (Port Lincoln).

–    Small circles/dots representing the Kuwarna family and their communities throughout South Australia.

–    Symbols representing the Club’s past and present Indigenous players.

Central District’s First Nations guernsey is designed by senior men’s player Jordan Tippins whose family are from the Garawa People from the Community of Robinson River in the Gulf of Carpentaria, but live on and Run Manangoora Station. It has been approved by Stephen Anderson of Borroloola.

The guernsey represents the values of the Central District Football Club and Jordan’s family heritage and culture.

At the centre front of the guernsey is Jordan’s family totem, Kurdarrku the Brolga, representing his great-grandmother’s side.

Jordan explains more:

“As a football club, our core values are: Embrace Challenge, Team First and Celebrate.

“Bringing our weapon to each game is a symbol of the Team First mindset. This is represented by the Number Seven Boomerang and Woomera – traditional tools used for hunting.

“The centre of the guernsey features six dotted lines converging into a central circle, symbolising the six rivers that flow through Manangoora Station. These lines also represent the diverse paths our players and officials take, all meeting at one place — our club, CDFC, our shared meeting ground.

“Ten surrounding dots represent Central District’s 10 premierships in both the SANFL and SANFLW. The red dot at the centre symbolises the next premiership we will win in the future.

“At the bottom of the guernsey, the blue cross-hatched design represents the River Torrens, which flows through Kaurna Country. Above this, the Men’s and Women’s symbols reflect our pride in having both men’s and women’s programs.

“On the back of the guernsey, four Brolga footprints represent my four Gungoo (grandfathers) watching over me. Their placement signifies that no matter where we are on the field, we are always supported and protected — as we embrace challenge, play team first, and celebrate this incredible round.”

Anwerne apurte irreme – we are all coming together.

Designed by Amanda Turner in 2022, who hails from Ltyentye Apurte (Santa Teresa), around 85km south east of Alice Springs, the overall theme of the guernsey is about the Glenelg community and coming together.

The guernsey represents not only the players, but the whole training group, the people within the club and the Bays community – it brings us all together. The circles represent the ground we walk on and everyone coming together as one.

The design also reflects upon the club going through the journey of the football season across the year, as well as the club’s ‘all in’ trademark.

North Adelaide’s 2025 First Nations guernsey was designed by North Adelaide women’s player Sarcha Taylor, together with Hamish Collins, Kobe Collins and Monica Turner-Collins

The design for our First Nations guernsey tells a story about the men’s, women’s and junior programs coming together as one. As reconciliation week is just around the corner, I thought telling a story about that special week through this design would be something different.

The top boomerang represents the men, the middle represents the women and the bottom represents the juniors. The white dots along the outside the boomerangs represent the North Adelaide community; the black, white and red dots go on to represent the players in each league.

The red lines that connect to each other is a meaning of connection and reconciliation. It also talks about everyone’s differences both on and off the field and them being able to share that with the rest of the club and everyone to learn from one another, despite what it is.

The three circles in each boomerang tells the same story, it talks about the coaches for each men’s, women & juniors’ program. Not only does this artwork talk about the teams but it also represents the coaches, without them there wouldn’t be a team, and without a team we wouldn’t have such a beautiful culture within each groups.

The intricate patterns and symbols are a tribute to the rich heritage of the First Nations people. Each pathway signifies a story, a tradition, or a shared experience, emphasizing the importance of every individual player and community in the larger tapestry of our nation. The connections depicted in the design highlight the inclusivity and solidarity between First Nations and non-First Nations communities.

By bringing these diverse paths together in a harmonious design, the Guernsey stands as a beacon of unity and reconciliation. It embodies the spirit of coming together, recognizing our shared history, and moving forward with mutual respect and understanding. This guernsey is more than just a piece of clothing; it is a celebration of our collective identity and a reminder of the strength we gain from embracing our differences and walking together on the path to a shared future.

The Norwood Football Club will be wearing a First Nations Round guernsey inspired by the club’s Regional Zone of the Eyre Peninsula and designed by Norwood apparel partner Belgravia. 

The process commenced in November last year, when the club hosted a football trip for 22 junior players from the Ceduna region on the Eyre Peninsula to visit Norwood.

The trip included a football match on Norwood Oval between the travelling players and Norwood’s U13 Metro Zone players for the “IWS Cup”, as well as an excursion to the Port Adelaide Football Club, the South Australian Museum, Marion, Rostrevor College and IWS’s Wingfield Processing Facility.

One of the trip’s activities included designing Norwood’s next First Nations Round guernsey, which the players took very seriously. Watch the video below to see the designs the players submitted.

Port Adelaide is proudly being known as the Yartapuulti Football Club again in 2025 for all games played during Sir Doug Nicholls Round, AFLW Indigenous Round and the SANFL First Nations Round. Yartapuulti is the Kaurna translation for ”Yarta” which means place or land and ”Puulti” which means sleep or death, which is the name the Kaurna people gave the land around the Port River

This year’s First Nations guernsey has been designed by Port Adelaide legend Gavin Wanganeen.

First Nations people have always had a strong connection to the night sky, the stars and the Milky Way. This connection is represented by the Milky Way, which forms a band across the guernsey.

The white stars around the collar are the players, past and present, while the darker dots in the V represent our First Nations players who have shared their talent and culture with the Port Adelaide community.

Over more than 150 years, the Port Adelaide Football Club has continued to evolve. We are all united by its proud history.

South Adelaide’s 2025 First Nations Round guernsey has been designed by 2024 SANFLW premiership player Doreena Hansen, adding another meaningful layer to the club’s ongoing collaboration with the Pinktails/Redtails Right Tracks Program. 

The design reflects Doreena’s journey in both football and life, acknowledging the challenges she has faced.

• Two Emus – One on the front and one on the back, representing Doreena and her sister, Dalaicee. The emu is their family totem, symbolising their deep connection to their heritage.
• Flowing Lines – Featured on both the front and back, these lines represent the MacDonnell Ranges in Alice Springs, where Doreena spent time with the Pinktails.
• Water Symbol – Located on the lower right rear, this represents Lake Mary Ann in Tennant Creek, where Doreena was born and where her family still resides.
• Seven Dotted Circles – These circles signify key elements in Doreena’s journey: family, spirit/identity, training, football, leadership, the Redtails Pinktails Right Tracks Program, and the South Adelaide Football Club.
• Pinktail Cockatoo – Featured once again on the back of the jumper, reinforcing the connection between South Adelaide and the Pinktails/Redtails Right Tracks Program.

Sturt’s 2025 First Nation Round guernsey is designed by Shane Tongerie and David Booth.

Guernsey elements – Front

• Unley Oval: Gathering location for Sturt Football Club. Depicts four quarters of football and opposition within the middle. Supporters, reserves and women surround the perimeter. Represents a modern element of Unley Oval being located on Kaurna Land.
• Boomerang: Used to scare birds away from hunting ground.
• Kaurna Shield and spear: Used to defend and protect when hunting. Sheild represents strength and protection.

Guernsey elements – Back

• Emu: “Wise old Emu”= coaches. Guides, teaches and protects their young.
• Kangaroo: Game day journey of going fast and slow.
• Dreamtime: Elders who have passed and Sturt past players, acknowledge they come out on special occasions. “The Seven Sisters” –  our women players who need to work and play together, being supportive of each other on their journey.

Find out more about Sturt’s First Nations guernsey here.

West Adelaide’s First Nations guernsey was proudly designed by West Adelaide Under-18 player Ky Burgoyne, the son of Port Adelaide and Hawthorn premiership player Shaun Burgoyne.

Front of Guernsey
The nine circles in the middle of the sash represent the number of premierships won by West Adelaide Football Club. The white dots within these circles represent the players who played in a grand final. The sash represents the West Adelaide journey. The black dots represent everyone who has ever worn a West Adelaide guernsey. The white symbols on the outside represent the indigenous men who have played for West Adelaide, with the red symbol on the outside representing the indigenous women who have played for the club.

Back of Guernsey
The red circle represents our home ground at Richmond (Hisense Stadium). The white dots in the red circle represent all West Adelaide employees. The sash represents the West Adelaide journey. The black dots on the sash represents players coming and going, while the white dots on the sash represent the employees coming and going.