What the 2020 Indigenous Jersey means to the Eels

Round 12 is a special point in the NRL calendar, as Eels utility Will Smith knows too well.

It’s Indigenous Round.

“It just makes me very proud to be an Indigenous man. It’s one of those weekends where we get to celebrate our culture,” he said.

The Parramatta Eels will play the Bulldogs wearing specially designed jerseys by Aboriginal artist Danielle Mate Sullivan, with input from Will.

“The artwork is called connection so it’s about a connection between the past and the present,” Danielle said.

“I’m absolutely rapt with it. The colours are so intense and there’s so much to look at on it.”

Eels' "pride" in 2020 Indigenous Jersey

One of the more special features on the jersey is on the back.

“My favourite (part) would be just down the back there, there’s four hands. Two of the hands are my two kids of two of the hands are Fergo’s two kids. I think it’s just a great touch, they’ll love that,” Will said.

“My kids are very proud to be Indigenous. My daughter goes to a school here in Parramatta and she is the only Indigenous kid at the whole school and she is very proud to tell everyone at the school that she is Indigenous,” he said.

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The large circle on the front of the jersey represents the meeting place for the players/warriors of the game, while the line to the top is a journey line to the players’ homelands.

The smaller circles are a nod to communities the Eels visit and work with.

“The past is represented by the warrior and the Parramatta River. The Burramattagal people, who are a clan of the Darug, have a connection to this river where they ﬁrst settled and caught ﬁsh, eels and other sources of food,” Danielle said.

Colours from the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Flags feature on the sides of the jersey.

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“I can’t wait to see all the players with the jersey on run out onto the field ... That will be a really proud moment,” Danielle said.

“For an organisation as big as the NRL to acknowledge and to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture is huge,” she said.

Blake hopes the Round will not only bring Indigenous culture to the forefront, but also prompt important conversations.

“Everyone’s equal, everyone bleeds the same, so just hopefully we can get that across the board and get that local knowledge into everyone about elders past, present and future. There are conversations to be had,” he said.

You can purchase the 2020 Eels Indigenous Jersey here and see more of Danielle Mate Sullivan's work at her website

"Good riddance. What a waste of an investmentWe did right by him, gave him coaching, gave him good deals,Very happy to be moving on,Penisini has never impressed meHim and his brother have chewed up enough space"

"I hope so we need something...with lomax fucking off we have no elite players in our backline besides Mo and Iongi. and Moses cant goal kick anymore he is rubbish last few years"

Replies

CarloEEL2 July 10, 2020 at 9:12pm

Beautiful

I’ve met wills little girl she is divine !! She has wills gorgeous eyes too!!!

will is such a proud indigenous player , his pop is such a great and revered leader at our preschool . The kids rang his pop last week as we miss him . Nice work will !!!
Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 10, 2020 at 9:12pm

FMD, It looks like a dogs eaten a box of crayons and taken a big shit on an eels jersey, no offence to the artist.

Wouldnt want to wear that near anybody who has epilepsy.
- CarloEEL2 > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 10, 2020 at 9:13pm
  
  Snake don’t be an asshole
  - Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown > CarloEEL2 July 10, 2020 at 9:16pm
    
    So its ok to bag art as long as its white peoples art?
    
    Unfortunately for this lady, she didnt know when to stop.
    - CarloEEL2 > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 10, 2020 at 9:22pm
      
      Indigenous art and symbols all have meaning - mb that means our opinion of what is visually pleasing is compromised by the storytelling
      
      I’ve learnt a lot from uncle bill
      
      wills pop
    - Prof. Daz > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 10, 2020 at 9:30pm
      - carrion > Prof. Daz July 10, 2020 at 9:36pm
        
        Two things Professor Daft you need to cease doing
        
        1. Lower your consumption of red cordial, it plays havoc with your system; and
        
        2. Stop doona diving so you can inhale your own Dutch ovens, only bad things will come from that my boy
    - Frank The Tank > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 10, 2020 at 9:52pm
      
      Yep
      
      Art is subjective and regardless of who paints it if it' looks shit, it's shit.,..
- Chuck Norris. > Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown July 10, 2020 at 10:42pm
  
  Bavk off snake. Fine line on many fronts here.
  
  You can do better.
  - Snakey - Sack Dylan Brown > Chuck Norris. July 11, 2020 at 1:24am
    
    Thanks Chucky but i dont care about crossing lines because they are other peoples lines, not mine.
    
    To be fair i dont think i crossed any lines, just a bit of dark humour.
    
    I wont be changing.