NAIDOC Round Guernseys are in!

The East Fremantle League team will be wearing a special guernsey to celebrate NAIDOC round as they take on the West Coast Eagles at the WACA this Saturday.

The guernseys were designed by Chaili Bolton, wife of our Midwest Indigenous Development Officer Clinton Bolton.

Below is the story of the artwork by Chaili:

My Name is Chaili Bolton. I am a proud Yamatji Woman from the Midwest with connections to Meenangu and Jaru people. I also have ties to the Nyoongar people as my husband is a proud Nyoongar Man from Whadjuk Boodja. 

I was raised in the coastal town of Geraldton and have a strong connection to the ocean. Creating this piece was a privilege for me as I was able to combine my love of art, the ocean, my country - the Midwest and also football.

My design consists of 5 different features,

• The Shark represents the East Fremantle Football Club as a whole. 
• As the club is the back bone of opportunity for football talent in the Midwest, I’ve decided to place the Midwest recruitment zone with each of the town sites and also the roads connecting all towns throughout Midwest.

The 10 places being-

• Shark Bay
• Murchison
• Northampton
• Chapman Valley
• Geraldton
• Mullewa
• Yalgoo
• Mt Magnet
• Cue
• Sandstone

They all connect and the long road then leads them to Boorloo (Perth) which is located on the tail of the shark, which is ultimately were our young talent in the Midwest aim to be.

• The larger dark blue symbols represent the people within the club such as the players and support staff. The smaller blue symbols represent the youth through-out the Mid-west and in Perth being supported and standing side by side with the Club.
• The smaller blue dots represent the supporters and East Fremantle Football Community gathering around the club.
• The white lines on the remainder of the area represent water/ flowing tide – meaning changing times.

As this year is the 125th anniversary I wanted to continue the celebration and keep the replica guernsey as the base with the blue side panels and white center panel.