Essendon, Richmond set for fourth instalmentTHE Dreamtime at the 'G AFL match between Richmond and Essendon Football Clubs will be played this Saturday night, May 23, at the MCG.
The annual match is a highlight of AFL's Indigenous Round, which recognises the significant role the Indigenous community has played in shaping Australian Football.
Richmond's Richard Tambling will play in his fifth Dreamtime at the G match this Saturday.
"The Dreamtime game is always a special occasion and I'm honoured to have played in the last four," he said. "I think it's important to recognise the contribution of Indigenous players in the AFL, who help make it the most unique game in the world. The boys will be very keen to put on a show against Essendon in front of a big crowd at the MCG this weekend."
Young Essendon ruckman Patrick Ryder said the Dreamtime at the G match had a meaning beyond football.
"It is a great privilege to get the opportunity to play in the Dreamtime at the 'G game because it is a chance to represent the Aboriginal people and celebrate their culture and everything they have brought to the AFL," he said. "I am lucky to play alongside a number of Indigenous players at Essendon and we are all very much looking forward to representing Aboriginal people and their achievements at the MCG on Saturday."
Activities at the MCG on Saturday will commence at 4.30pm when the Tiwi Islands' Imalu Tigers play the Brumbuk Eels from western Victoria in the curtain-raiser.
The Long Walk will again play a key role on the night. Long Walk activities commence at Federation Square from 4pm, with the walk to the MCG via Birrarung Marr to begin at 5.50pm. Six-hundred walkers will make their way onto the MCG surface as part of the pre-match entertainment.
From 7pm the pre-match entertainment will feature multi ARIA award-winning Indigenous artist Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Dan Sultan and Scott Wilson along with a dance performance from the Movement Australia Dancers.
Prior to the match, respected Wurundjeri elder Joy Murphy-Wandin will conduct a short 'Welcome to Country' ceremony to welcome the clubs and spectators to the traditional lands of the local Indigenous community.
At half-time Qantas AFL KickStart participants from Far North Queensland will play the centre grid match while the 2009 Indigenous Youth Team, Flying Boomerangs, will walk a lap of the ground also during half-time break.
The AFL has allocated 5000 general admission tickets for the game to local Indigenous community organisations who were invited to apply.
At the conclusion the game, the player judged best on ground will be presented with the Yiooken award. Pronounced yie-yoo-ken, it is a word from the Woiwurrung language of the Wurundjeri people which means dreaming'. Previous winners of the award Dean Polo (Richmond, 2006), James Hird (Essendon, 2007), Nathan Foley (Richmond, 2008).
Network Ten is again supporting Dreamtime at the G and will broadcast the pre-match activities.
The curtain raiser between the Imalu Tigers and the Brambuck Eels will be aired on Southern Cross Television Central from 5pm EST. The match will be available in the Northern Territory, Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and regional Victoria. Ten's Luke Darcy will call the match alongside Charlie King and Gilbert McAdam. The match will also be shown on the Federation Square screen for Long Walk participants.
AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
AFL.com.au
Thursday, May 20, 2009
Last Modified on 20/05/2009 22:57