Sir Doug Nicholls Round Celebrations Kick Off Throughout the AFL Canberra Competitions
The last round of footy saw the commencement of the 2022 Sir Doug Nicholls Round celebrations in AFL Canberra. Spread across several weeks, many clubs have and will continue to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and celebrate the contribution to Australian Football.
Around the Competition
Tuggeranong Valley vs Eastlake Demons
The annual Sir Doug Nicholls meeting between the two senior clubs saw Eastlake 1st Grade women take out the win alongside the 2nd Grade Men, as Tuggeranong’s Caitlin Reid was awarded the 1st Grade Womens Gerrit Wanganeen Medal for best on ground.
Whilst the Tuggeranong Valley 1st Grade Men came out on top in their first win of the 2022 season, as Tuggeranong’s Matt Channong was awarded the 1st Grade Mens Gerrit Wanganeen Medal for best on ground.
In the lead up to the festivities Tuggeranong Valley revealed their 2022 Indigenous guernsey designed by Senior women players Kristen Hodge and Maddie Williams, continuing the story of community from their 2021 guernsey.
Belconnen Magpies
The Belconnen Magpies were honoured to debut their own Indigenous guernsey at Alan Ray Oval and throughout the Junior competitions, as their 1st Grade Men came off with a 4-point victory over the Ainslie Tricolours, whilst their 1st Grade Women and 2nd Grade Men could not match their success on the day.
Designed by Luke Penrith, the guernsey commemorates “the significant events in the reconciliation journey, the high court Eddie Mabo decision, and the change to our constitution with the successful referendum in 1967.”
Batemans Bay Seahawks
The Batemans Bay Seahawks hosted the Murrumbateman Eagles and Eastlake Demons community grades at Hanging Rock Oval whilst sporting their own special Indigenous guernseys designed by Sean Kinchela, as well as acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land through a Welcome to Country performed by Rod Slockee prior to the Third Grade Mens game. To watch the Welcome to Country press here.
Belconnen Cats
A special day at Aranda saw the Belconnen Cats host Marist in the U10s and U13s competitions, the occasion saw both games begin with an Acknowledgement of Country, as the Belconnen Cats donned the same guernsey as the Belconnen Magpies senior grades designed by Luke Penrith.
Weston Creek Molonglo Wildcats
The Weston Creek Molonglo Wildcats from the ActewAGL Junior Leagues celebrated Sir Doug Nicholls Round by wearing their own specially designed Indigenous guernseys for their games across the weekend.
Marist AFC
Marist College recognised the reconciliation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, promoting cultural exchange and understanding by wearing their own Indigenous guernsey designed by Dion Devow and partaking in acknowledgements to the Indigenous peoples throughout the weekend.
The Sir Doug Nicholls Round festivities and celebrations in AFL Canberra are set to continue in the coming weeks, as more clubs are ready to debut their own Indigenous guernseys and partake in acknowledgements to the Traditional Owners of the land.
