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Legacies and future legends the theme of AFLW Indigenous Round

August 27, 2025

This year’s AFLW Indigenous round celebration will focus on past legacies and future legends when it kicks off on Friday when Richmond take on Essendon in Larrakia (Darwin).

Saturday will see GWS Giants host Kuwarna on Gadigal and Wangai land at Henson Park in Sydney as well as match-ups between Euro-Yroke (St Kilda) and Waalitj Miramar (West Coast), Geelong and Sydney, Yartapuulti (Port Adelaide) and the Gold Coast Suns, before three games on Sunday – August 31 – between Collingwood and Narrm (Melbourne). Waltalup (Fremantle) and the Kangaroos and finally in Ipswich (Yagara-Yugara) Brisbane v Carlton.

Tarni Evans, Toby Bedford, Aliesha Newman, Harry Rowston, Claire Ransom Wearing the 2025 GIANTS Indigenous Jumper, on Tuesday the 26th of August, 2025. At the GIANTS Community Centre, Sydney Olympic Park, NSW, 2127. (Photo by Ryan Jones/GWS GIANTS)

The 2025 theme will highlight three important anniversaries and recognises the enduring impact and future of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our game:

10 years of Sir Doug Nicholls Round
20 years since the Indigenous Team of the Century
30 years since the introduction of the Peek Rule (Rule 35, the AFL’s anti-vilification and discrimination rule).

And each year the AFL curates a Spotify playlist celebrating Indigenous Round, highlighting some incredible Indigenous musical acts.

You might also hear some of these songs played before a match during the round:

Indigenous names

Narrm
Narrm, the Aboriginal name for Melbourne, comes from Woi Wurrung, the language spoken by the Traditional Owners of the city and its surrounds.

Walyalup
Walyalup is the Noongar name for the Fremantle region. The logo has been designed by Aboriginal man Roger Hayden, a past Fremantle player, life member and Next Generation Academy Coach and Indigenous & Multicultural Liaison Officer at Fremantle FC.

Yartapuulti
Coming from the Kaurna language for ‘We are Port Adelaide’, ‘Ngadlu Yartapuulti’ is the direct translation. Working with First Nations design agency Ochre Dawn, the logo has been redesigned by a Kaurna artist.

Euro-Yroke
Euro-Yroke is the Boon Wurrung translation of St Kilda and was translated by senior elder Narweet Dr Caroline Briggs, in consultation with Boon Wurrung elder and language specialist, Aunty Fay Muir.

Kuwarna
Kuwarna is the Kaurna translation for ‘crows’ and the club has received language approvals from the Kaurna Warra Karrpanthi Language Corporation for the language use.

Waalitj Marawar
Meaning ‘Eagles of the West’ in Noongar language, the club worked with their Elders in residence and RAP Committee to formulate the name. A logo change is expected in the future.

Round four (September 6-7)

Saturday
Narrm (Melbourne) v Richmond
GC Suns v GWS Giants
Carlton v Western Bulldogs
Hawthorn v Euro-Yroke (St Kilda)

Sunday
Sydney v Walyalup (Fremantle)
Kuwarna (Adelaide) v Brisbane
Kangaroos v Collingwood
Essendon v Geelong
Waalitj Miramar (West Coast) v Yartapuulti (Port Adelaide)

* For game information and tickets, go to afl.com.au/aflw

Peter Rowe

Peter Rowe leads First Nations News as Editor, with over three decades of experience across international newsrooms, digital platforms and media strategy roles. For the past 20 years, he’s worked in Australia – reporting, editing and advising on stories that shape public debate.