The Carlton Football Club is proud to reveal its 2025 Indigenous guernsey, designed by Yorta Yorta siblings and founders of Bayadherra, Luke and Siena Tieri.
The Indigenous guernsey brings to life the story of connection, resilience and cultural identity with it, to be worn by the AFL team during the Sir Doug Nicholls Rounds (10 and 11).
With a whole-club representation, the 2025 Indigenous guernsey will again be worn across all four of the Club’s football teams in its AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW programs.
The artwork pays homage to Luke and Siena’s Yorta Yorta ancestry, weaving together cultural patterns and the Club’s connection to community, strength and unity.
Both Luke and Siena are participants in the Club’s Loorende-Gat Business and Entrepreneur Program, which aims to develop skillsets and grow business networks to support First Nations people achieve their business aspirations.
“Our design reflects our family and identity, our community and our connection to Country,” artists Luke and Siena said.
“Our mob, the Yorta Yorta people, have the long neck turtle as our animal totem which inspired the shell design and is a symbol of strength and resilience.
“The oval shell, which also depicts the shape of a football, features three central journey lines which represent Carlton’s Indigenous players - past, present and emerging - as well as Carlton's continuous cultural journey.
“The yarning circles and outward-flowing dots speak to the expanding impact and unity of Indigenous voices and figures at the Club and beyond.”
An important figure who inspired Luke and Siena’s design and has impacted the wider sporting community is their grandfather Glenn James OAM, who is recognised as the first Aboriginal man to umpire Australian rules football in the VFL/AFL.
The imagery - taken by Indigenous photographer Jacinta Keefe - was shot on location at the Carlton Gardens by the Moreton Bay fig tree, an area recognised as a significant gathering place for Aboriginal people, Sir Doug Nicholls himself using this location as a gathering place.
“A big part of the artwork is togetherness and being unified, symbolising Carlton’s Stronger Together ethos, so it is very fitting to launch the guernsey at a very significant meeting spot for mob,” artists Luke and Siena said.
"We also have been connecting with the Club over the past year through their Loorende-gat Business and Entrepreneur Program, so to now have had the amazing opportunity to design the artwork for the 2025 guernsey feels surreal.”
Carlton forward Jesse Motlop is proud to be able to wear the guernsey across Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
“I am excited to again wear a guernsey that tells a unique story about our Club. Luke and Siena have done an incredible job with the design, there are so many intricate details that represent different stories,”Motlop said.
“To run out in a guernsey that represents Indigenous people that come before us and paved the way, whilst also celebrating those who may come after us, is really special.
“The two Sir Doug Nicholls Rounds are really powerful in encouraging us to take intentional time with each other and reflect on your own story and culture, as well as learning about others. I really encourage our fans to take time to read the story behind the guernsey and share their stories with others.”
A full range of merchandise - including replica guernseys - is now available for purchase via The Carlton Shop in-store or online.
