The Indigenous round holds great importance in the NRL calendar. This year, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs entrusted the design of their special commemorative jersey for round 12 to the students of all-girls Bethlehem Catholic College in Ashfield.

“It’s breath taking,” said one of the designers, Bethlehem College student Chanel, of the Kamilaroi and Gomeroi nations.

“Being involved in this project makes me feel proud and happy to be a part of something so rare. As a young Indigenous woman, I feel more connected to my culture and more recognised by the community.”

The design was created by a team of students at her school of various Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander backgrounds, who did extensive research into the local area’s peoples, their traditions, totems and key flora and fauna as part of the project.

Taryn, of the Wiradjuri nation, said the inspiration for the jersey design came from the stories and lands of the local Aboriginal tribes, including the Wangal tribe.

“This design is about community, identity, and solidarity with the symbols used portraying players, supporters and the wider NRL community coming together to celebrate our culture” – Taryn

The jersey features the Cooks River, an important geographical point for traditional owners, according to fellow student Darci, of the Wiadjuri and Dunghutti peoples.

“The Wangal people used the river as a resource for food, water and to bathe in,” said Darci.

“Myself and the rest of the girls used our time to design and research about the Dreamtime stories, land and people. We also told a few of our own stories, to have a complete understanding of the whole project.

“We used animal tracks, such as the emu, snake, kangaroo and echidna. The stars (on the jersey) represent the Indigenous players’ ancestors. …