Melbourne Storm are proud to share Resilience, the Club’s 2023 Indigenous Jersey designed by Shanai Kellett, a proud artist and educator of Yorta Yorta/Juru descent.
Great granddaughter of Sir Douglas Nicholls, a prominent Yorta Yorta man and legendary Aboriginal AFL player, Kellet’s connection to the Melbourne sporting scene runs deeper than her ability to create “talking points for the wider Australian community to engage and discuss Aboriginal culture through artwork and education”.
As Storm celebrates its 25-year history, Kellet showcases the Club’s continuous support of Indigenous and multicultural players, their individual culture and community, emphasising the Club’s ability to bring people together.
“The large meeting place at the top of resilience emphasises the watchtower, followed by two ‘u’ shapes, with two lines acknowledging the captains and coaches, followed by the remaining few symbols representing the significant role models within your club,” Kellet detailed.
“The smaller orange and purple meeting places represent the supporters, staff and other clubs.
“The two other large meeting places acknowledging the different cultures within your club and your Australian players.”
The focal point of the design, the central ‘meeting place’, branches out to Storm’s four 2022 Indigenous players, Reimis Smith, Jordan Grant, Ammaron (AJ) Gudgeon and Seamus King-Smith, each represented by their personal family totem.
The final meeting place at the base of the jersey represents Naarm and Wurundjeri country on which AAMI Park sits.
Surrounding it, Kellet shares are the “smaller meeting places on either side, reflecting your families and your supporters.”
“The pathway from left to right highlights the footprints that each player takes on their journey throughout the club, teaching you to be humble, resilient, have respect and the importance of kin.”
The jersey will be worn for Storm’s Indigenous Round match against the Dolphins next Saturday, alongside the Club’s own acknowledgment during Round 15 against the Sharks at AAMI Park.
