MELBOURNE Football Club will once again rebrand itself as Narrm Football Club across the 2023 AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Round and AFLW Indigenous Round.

The initiative, which was first introduced by the club last year, aims to educate on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, while generating awareness and encouraging productive conversations among the football community.

Narrm, the traditional name for Melbourne, comes from Woi Wurrung, the language spoken by the traditional owners of the city and its surrounds, and acknowledges the region the Demons call home.

Having worked with the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation over the past three years to gain greater understanding, advice and permission for Narrm’s ongoing use, the club is hopeful of building on its impact in 2023.

“As a club, we are incredibly proud of the impact Narrm Football Club had in 2022,” Melbourne CEO Gary Pert said.

“This initiative, which was a passion and focus of our RAP Committee, is about acknowledgement, education and celebration, and it was fantastic to see our fans and the football community really embrace it.

“To now have another club in Fremantle, which will be known as Walyalup, follow in our footsteps is significant, and we look forward to the positive impact this will have, this year and beyond.

“Our vision for reconciliation is to unite Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with non-Indigenous people, to understand history, culture and community, and it’s exciting to be building on this further in 2023.”

Narrm will first feature during AFL Round 10, when the club travels to South Australia to face Port Adelaide. The Demons will then return to the MCG to host an historic match between Narrm and Walyalup, with Fremantle Football Club taking on the traditional name for the first time this year.

The club will again take on the name of Narrm during Indigenous Round of the 2023 NAB AFL Women’s season, set to commence in September.

A Narrm Football Club logo will take pride of place across all digital touch points for the duration of the dedicated rounds, including website, social media and broadcast.