Phoenix to Recognise and Celebrate this Hungry Jack’s NBL 24 Indigenous Round

The jerseys the Phoenix will be wearing for the round are designed by Kamilaroi Woman Katie Bugden, who also designed the Phoenix Indigenous jersey for the NBL22 season.?

The theme for the round is ‘Every Story Matters’, with Phoenix’s jersey focusing on the new direction the club is going in with incumbent head coach Mike Kelly. 

(Jersey designer Katie Bugden explaining the design to Phoenix player Craig Moller.)

The jersey design has two components: the Bunjil and the background.?

Bunjil (the bird) is the creator deity for the people of the Kulin nation and a significant figure to Victorian mobs.

The background includes kangaroo prints; the kangaroo does not walk backwards, and this represents the new forward direction the club is heading in with the appointment of Mike Kelly.

The lines in the background represent the tracks that snakes leave behind in the sand. The snake always moves forward and leaves behind a trail to follow, as the club aspires to do. 

(Closer look at the Bunjil and background design on the jersey.)

The players wore the jersey in last night’s loss against Brisbane Bullets and will wear it again on Sunday for their home game against the Cairns Taipans.

Fans will be able to see the celebration of the Indigenous culture at the Fire Pit on Sunday.

(Phoenix wore their Inidgenous jerseys in the first game for round 6 against the Bullets.)

2023 Norm Smith Medallist Bobby Hill, just the seventh Indigenous AFL player to win the coveted award, will present the game-day ball on Sunday.

Eric Avery from the Ngiyampaa, Yuin and Gumbangirr people of NSW will perform an Acknowledgement of Country alongside Ben Moodie, the Gamillaroi people, on the Yidaki (Didgeridoo).

Fans will be treated to a half-time game played by the West Vic Eels, a representative sports club that includes Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from all across the west of Victoria.

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Fans can get their hands on the NBL24 Indigenous Jersey by CLICKING HERE and they will be on sale at the game.

There are still tickets available for Sunday’s 2pm game. CLICK HERE to secure your seats.