NAIDOC Week jersey with a twist for Albury-Wodonga Steamers as SIRU club honours its cultures

Indigenous artist Dan Clegg created a design at the bottom of the jersey, which will also include Samoan, Fijian, Polish, Slovenian, Maori and Scottish elements among the club's traditional blue and gold stripes.

The club's home clash with Griffith today will feature a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, while a didgeridoo will be played as the teams run onto Murrayfield, alongside the regular bagpipes entrance.

Steamers president Mick Raynes said the players have really embraced the concept.

"The club gets behind NAIDOC Week and has done for years, but we feel like every week should be NAIDOC Week," Raynes said.

"Even though we're a small club, we think every sporting club can play a role in that."

The Polish design honours Micky Zielinski, who hails from the Kashubian/Pomeranian region.

The three peaks represents Mount Triglav in Slovenia, the home country of Oscar Skrbinsek, and is used as a traditional symbol for many Slovenian people.

ALSO IN SPORT:

Samoa's design translates as 'represent who we are with power, respect and honour' and is a mark of pride.

The themes of the Maori element include new beginnings, growth and harmony, strength and protection, abundance and health.

Fiji is made up of many small islands, which have their own symbol represented in the design and those symbols together make Fiji.

Club captain Emma McGlone explained the significance of the jersey.

"We don't have any Indigenous players, but we wanted to represent we are on Wiradjuri Country," she said.

"The Scottish tartan is there because we play at Murrayfield and the Scottish heritage has been huge.

"The blue and gold stripes show you can put all these colours onto a jersey, but at the end of the day we are the Steamers and we make a really awesome club."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: