Collingwood AFL and AFLW players will wear freshly painted Indigenous boots for the 2025 Sir Doug Nicholls and Indigenous Rounds.
The boots were designed and painted by a range of artists from the Barkly Regional Arts Centre in Tennant Creek – Collingwood’s NGA region.
Hosting artists from each of the 18 language groups that call Barkly home, it currently has 350 registered art members and is growing in numbers each week.
Each boot carries a different design and story that celebrates and preserves ancient cultures and languages.
Production Coordinator of the Winajjkari Music Centre, Dirk Kelly, was inspired by his grandmother's totem when designing AFL Vice-Captain Issac Quaynor’s boots.
Titled ‘Linga’ after their traditional language, the painting represents the snake which is a totem from their region.
Black circles on the upper sides of the boots represent the snake's different homes that they live in across their journey.
“I want Issac to be like a snake in the field, slipping tackles, always hunting, and that my grandmother’s totem gives him the power of the snake on and off the field,” Kelly said.
Current AFLW Captain Bri Davey will wear boots created by Lucy Tanami during the 2025 AFLW Indigenous Rounds.
Inspired by the nature of the Australian desert, the red and yellow lines represent raging fire. The brown circles represent their country, with a smaller circle around the sides of the boots symbolising ashes after a fire.
Collingwood’s Cultural Development Manager, Leon Davis, spoke about the art centre's importance to the community and its relationship with the Club.
“It’s an honour to come back to the Art Centre as part of our Sir Doug Nicholls Round week and our ongoing relationship with the community,” Davis said.
“Having the local artists paint the boots is a great initiative for us to celebrate their culture in the Northern Territory.
“It's also a good opportunity to educate the wider community that although we are all First Nations people, our cultures are different and that will be expressed through the artwork on the boots.”
Collingwood’s Next Generation Academy (NGA) is located in Tennant Creek, with the program focusing on fostering meaningful connection, deepening understanding and working Side by Side with the local community.
In December last year, Collingwood AFL and AFLW players, staff and members of the Board travelled to Tennant Creek as part of the Club’s ongoing commitment to cultural learning and community engagement.
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