The West Coast Eagles have released a second edition of its highly successful Indigenous guernsey in the lead-up to this year’s Indigenous Round showdown with Geelong at Domain Stadium.

For the first time last year, the club released a unique white guernsey to mark Indigenous Round and it was widely acclaimed as one of the more striking designs unveiled across the AFL.

The new version, in yellow, is even more striking and is sure to be a hit with fans in the lead-up to the round nine clash with the Cats on Sunday, May 31. 

The guernsey, which was designed by Noongar artist Peter Farmer, tells the story of the waalitj (wedge-tailed eagle) which is the strongest totem in Noongar culture.

“My artwork includes tracks which connect to six fresh water sources throughout the state of Western Australia,” Mr Farmer said when outlining the story of the jumper last year.

“Featured in the design is an image of the waalitji painted ready for ceremony and attack.”

The traditional Noongar dreaming story, in short, is about a great drought; the animals and Noongar people could not find any freshwater sources.

The waalitj’s eye was the only one that could find water from searching high up in the sky. The Noongar people followed him at this time of great hardship and adversity, and always found a fresh water source. The moral of the story is through great adversity, the waalitj finds a path.

His strength and power is respected and revered throughout Noongar country, because of his capacity to not simply overcome adversity, but to succeed in places that others fail.

The club lists the Indigenous Round match at home as one of its priorities every year as it gives West Coast the chance to pay homage to Indigenous players and fans for their contribution over the last 29 years.

West Coast also drafted its initial Reconciliation Action Plan last year and a new committee is continuing to build on that initiative and add to the depth of the plan. 

The guernsey is on sale in the West Coast Eagles Team Store and are priced at $120 for adult sizes and $100 for youth. Limited stock is available only until the end of June, or while stocks last.

They can be purchased online, in store, or over the phone by calling the Team Store on (08) 9388 4555.