MELBOURNE will breathe new life into its 2024 Indigenous guernsey, with the club’s AFLW team set to don the special design during Weeks 9 and 10.
The league will celebrate Indigenous Round across the upcoming two weeks, honouring the history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their contributions to the football world.
This year’s guernsey design was created by Mali Isabel, an Arabana and Kokatha artist living on Kaurna Country, whose family’s special connection to the club is at the core of the jumper.
The artwork, titled “My Heart Beats True”, was first unveiled during Sir Doug Nicholls Round earlier this year, with the AFL team wearing it during Rounds 10 and 11.
When the AFLW side pulls on the jumper next week, it will have a further special meaning, with their guernsey retaining the colours within the original artwork created by Isabel.
The opportunity to wear a female artist’s work adds another layer of importance for Melbourne’s AFLW playing group, seeing it as a chance to celebrate the talent of Indigenous women and their contributions to the country, both in art and sport.
Mali’s intricate design, centred around a heart, tells the story of her younger brother and passionate Demons fan KC Melbourne Herriman-Place.
After suffering from cardiomyopathy, his first cardiac arrest at just 11 years old, KC received a heart transplant in 2020.
He was on the transplant list for 405 days and on March 16, his life was changed forever.
Bursting with pride for her brother and his resilience through this time, Mali was thrilled to be able to honour KC and his journey in Melbourne’s 2024 Indigenous guernsey.
“This guernsey is all about my little brother and his journey, his strength, his power, his resilience,” Mali told Melbourne Media.
“Melbourne Football Club has been such a big part of my family, my family’s culture and our lives as a whole.
“The club has been a big part of my family’s healing journey, so for us, it’s somewhat an end of an era but also such a beautiful beginning.”
