THE PRIDE is evident in Daniel Motlop's voice.

Every time his son, Jesse, kicks a goal for Carlton, the celebration that follows is just as meaningful as the action itself. It's an important reminder of family, culture and mentorship that is being carried on by the talented young Blue.

The 'hand chop' celebration, now a staple of Jesse's game, means dhapirrk in the Yolngu Matha language used by the Indigenous people of North-East Arnhem Land. It's a celebration also used by Daniel throughout his later years spent playing for Yartapuulti, one that was passed on to him by the late Gary Dhurrkay.

Dhurrkay had been a mentor to Daniel, who followed in his footsteps in both the AFL at North Melbourne and the Wanderers in the Northern Territory Football League. The remarkable Dhurrkay legacy now continues through Jesse and the celebration that will inevitably follow every time he kicks a goal.

"It's amazing," Daniel tells AFL.com.au.

"It was passed down through Yolngu family and the late Gary Dhurrkay, who played for Fremantle and North Melbourne. I wore No.19 at North Melbourne because of Gary Dhurrkay, who wore that for our family club the Wanderers in Darwin.

"He went on to play for Fremantle and then, from there, we were adopted into the Yolngu family, Gumatj clan up there. The totem, the crocodile or baru as you call it, is from that area.

"We carried that tradition and the celebration of the hand chop, which means dhapirrk or 'deadly' or 'good' in that Yolngu language. I used it in a match when Gary passed away and then I used it ever since.

"It goes further than footy. It goes all the way back into the north-east Arnhem Land community and people really know what it is. It's amazing Jesse can use it and obviously bring that culture through from our First Nations families."

Jesse himself is aware of the origins, passed down to him by his father. It's why he waited for the perfect opportunity to bring the celebration back, in front of his watching his dad and his family in South Australia during the side's Gather Round clash against Kuwarna in 2023.

"I know he was inspired by Gary Dhurrkay," Jesse says.

"He was a mentor of Dad's and someone he looked up to growing up. He used to do it back in the day, so Dad did it quite a bit. I think it was a couple of years ago now that Dad was telling me about it, so I pulled it out in Adelaide in front of the family.

"It was nice, so I just felt like I should be doing it ever since."It's not the only meaningful celebration Jesse brought out that year. Later, in that same 2023 season during Carlton's annual Marn Grook fixture against Sydney to mark Sir Doug Nicholls Round, a clever snapshot goal was followed by a crocodile gesture that was also steeped in family history.

"I might bring back the crocodile this year," Jesse says with a smile.

"That was probably just to show and express my culture and my totem, which is obviously the crocodile or the baru. If I can kick a goal and pull that out, it would be nice.

"You always love kicking goals and you get the adrenalin and the excitement that comes from that. But being able to actually represent something and express how you're feeling about that, I reckon it paints a bigger picture. It just represents a lot of people across Australia. It's my family and it's obviously very special."

Jesse grew up with football coursing through his veins. Drafted out of the South Fremantle program – the home of Indigenous stars like Nicky Winmar, Maurice Rioli, Peter and Phil Matera, Dean Rioli and Jeff Farmer, as well as Sir Doug Nicholls Round honouree and WAFL legend Stephen Michael – he also replicated both Dhurrkay and his father in playing at NTFL level for the Wanderers.

His father, Daniel, graduated to play 130 AFL games and kick 208 goals for North Melbourne and Yartapuulti, boasting one of the most impressive highlights packages in the game's modern history. For Jesse, though, the significance of his dad's accomplishments would only be realised much later.

"It's annoying because I don’t remember much about him playing," Jesse says.

"I was always at the footy club and, as a kid, you don't really know what's going on around you. I was always lucky enough to be in an AFL environment and playing in the gym, just mucking around with all the boys. I didn't think anything of it at the time. It wasn't until I did get drafted that I realised how lucky I was to be where I always wanted to go.

"I don't remember much about him actually playing, but I remember a lot of being around the club with Jase and Trent Burgoyne and running around with them. I always remember it being good fun."

Luckily, though, that's what YouTube is for. Rather than Daniel being the one to sit his son down and trawl back through the glory days of yesteryear, Jesse searched them out himself and was enamoured with the discovery.

"I used to watch them religiously," Jesse laughs.

"He never showed me, I did that myself. I'd probably be half of his views on YouTube. I just absolutely idolised him. He obviously used to take me to the park and we'd have a kick. I wasn't much for taking feedback from him back then – I'm still not one for taking much feedback from him now – but it was good fun."

Jesse's response to that feedback often follows a similar theme – "I'm always telling him that the game's changed!" – but it's his father's advice on life away from footy that is most appreciated. Now 50 games and 48 goals into a promising career of his own, Jesse is on the right trajectory and carving his own path in the game.

"I just make sure he's happy," Daniel says.

"Obviously, there are dark times when you're playing and you're losing or you're not getting a kick, but I let him know that it's not the end of the world. It's more that advice for him to just fall back on to keep his spirits up.

"We're lucky, as a family, to be able to spectate and enjoy the ride. It's always a big occasion for my kids back in Adelaide here and my wife to sit down on a Friday night and get set for a footy game with him playing in it."

The Motlop name is one that's synonymous in football, with Jesse now the fifth to represent his family in the AFL. Along with his father, Daniel, there are also his uncles in Steven (217 games for Geelong and Yartapuulti), Shannon (64 games for North Melbourne and Narrm) and Marlon (five games for Yartapuulti).

There is also his uncle Rod Waddell, who played five games for Carlton in the 1980s and another 20 for Geelong afterwards, adding yet more pride for Jesse, Daniel and the entire Motlop family.

"It's pretty exciting for us as a family," Daniel says.

"You just want the best for your son and you want him to live out a childhood dream. You hope they do well. As a family, for him to carry that legacy on with the four Motlops to have played AFL, he's that next generation for us."

For Jesse, carrying on the Motlop legacy is a significant achievement. Not just throughout Sir Doug Nicholls Round, but each time he steps on the field. That's not only reflected in his performance, but through his celebrations as well.

"It's important for me," Jesse says.

"I want to carry on that tradition and do the name proud. It starts with the love of the game and it grows from there. I know that if I can be half the player that my uncles and my dad were, I'll be happy.

"It's not just about living up to their expectations, but about doing the name proud."