SANFL Juniors celebrating First Nations Round this weekend

3 July 2025

A host of SANFL Juniors clubs will celebrate 2025 NAIDOC Week by taking part in the SANFL Juniors First Nations Round this weekend.

After a successful inaugural First Nationals Round in 2023 and its growing continuation in 2024, a number of community clubs across metropolitan Adelaide will be involved in activities to recognise and honour First Nations culture and the contribution of First Nations participants in our national game.

A marquee match in the SANFL Juniors Under 15.5 Boys Division One – Gepps Cross versus Tea Tree Gully – will see a cultural gift exchange between both teams, First Nations designed guernseys and an Acknowledgement of Country prior to the game.

SANFL Juniors Competition and Pathways Manager Oliver Graham said it is pleasing to see so many clubs embrace First Nations Round.

“A number of clubs are including Acknowledgment of Country and traditional smoking ceremonies before games, wearing arm tape in honour of First Nations people and wearing specially-designed First Nations guernseys,” he said.

There is also a focus on First Nations education throughout the round, with all clubs provided an information sheet to share with their players and families about NAIDOC Week, which this year celebrates the next generation, honouring the achievements of the past and empowers young leaders.

“Clubs have welcomed the round tremendously, with many opting in for gift exchanges, sock designs and involving their First Nations players with their own ball and guernsey designs,” Graham added.

Several SANFL Juniors Clubs have had specially designed guernseys for First Nations Round, including the Kilburn Football Club, which was designed by Matthew More and Jasmon Tripp in a collaborative effort.

Describing the guernsey, the Kilburn Football Club said:

The Junior First Nations design largely focuses on Kilburn’s past, present and future. At the front bottom left, we see the club family circle as a whole.

The connecting lines represents the different paths we each took leading us to this great family community club, whether that be playing on the field or supporting the club off the field.

On the right you see the footsteps each individual takes leading us to the club and on the right of that you see the gatherings of circles. 

The first and smallest is our junior’s group, followed by our women’s group in the middle and then finally our men’s group at the bottom.

At the top, you see our club ancestors represented by the stars and the night sky above us. Always watching over us.

Hands – you see the land imprint on our hearts saying those that have fallen before us, have their hands on our hearts giving us strength as we go into battle and represent our great club. On the back, you see a hand on our back shoulder which is also our ancestors pushing us forward into the future.

At the back on the bottom there is a circle of traditional group names of all the Indigenous people who currently represent our club on and off the field. 

Kilburn Football Club player, 11-year-old Hunter Solly, said the guernsey tells a story and is unique to any other guernsey.

“It symbolises that Aboriginal people are still here and respects them as the custodians of the land,” Hunter said.

“It helps us learn different Aboriginal languages and stories and helps us learn Kaurna language.”

Hunter said his team often wears its First Nations guernsey as its away guernsey.

“I like that it recognises all the different nations that play at the Kilburn Football and Cricket Club and love the way it recognises the journey we have all taken to be a part of the Kilburn family,” said Hunter’s mum, Nikki.

“It was a pretty proud moment being one of the first clubs in SANFL Juniors to have a First Nations Guernsey for juniors and the kids love wearing it.”

NAIDOC Week 2025 will be celebrated from 6 to 13 July. To find out more about the week and where local events will be held, visit the NAIDOC website at www.naidoc.org.au/