Wadawurrung artist Alisha F and Warumungu/Yawuru artist Roey have created stunning bespoke Sir Doug Nicholls Round boots as part of a commission for Geelong Cats players. These unique designs honour the legacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contributions to the AFL.
A Special Connection to Country and Club
Indigenous Arts Officer Paul Kelly helped facilitate this meaningful project, drawing a personal connection—his great-great-great-grandfather Albert “Pompey” Austin played for Geelong in 1872 and is recognised as the first First Nations player to play senior football in Victoria. Paul also made a message stick for the Cats to hand over at the coin toss against Port Adelaide in the first week of Sir Doug Nicholls Round. These collaborations highlight the deep ties between First Nations communities and Australian football.
10 Years of Sir Doug Nicholls Round
2025 marks a milestone—the 10-year anniversary of Sir Doug Nicholls Round, celebrating Indigenous players, cultures, and communities in the AFL. This year’s theme, “Past Legacies, Future Legends”, reflects on history while inspiring the next generation.
The Artists and Their Creations
Alisha F (Wadawurrung people) painted boots for Jack Martin and George Stevens, blending traditional storytelling with contemporary flair.
Alisha F joined the Torch program in 2023. Alisha uses acrylic paint on canvas for her paintings and explores other mediums such as weavings. Her artwork showcases her personal experiences, connection to her Country and Wadawurrung language. As a young girl, her sister and cousins would gather around Gran-Dad at the table and paint all together. He showed his ways of painting and Alisha has held those memories close and they helped shape the artist she is today. Alisha hopes to pass on the feeling of contentment she gets when painting, and to open people’s minds to culture, nature and First Nations mob. Painting takes Alisha away from the noise of the world and time stops still. Painting makes her feel confident and it is her way of sharing her stories and experiences in a way other than using words. See Alisha F’s boot design in process here.
Roey (Warumungu/Yawuru peoples) designed boots for Lawson Humphries, showcasing vibrant cultural motifs.
David Roe (Roey) was born and grew up in Darwin. Art lives on through generations of Roey’s family and the art he does tells stories, lived experiences, stories from his grandparents, mother and father. Roey got involved with The Torch at MRC back in 2018 when he was doing cultural art there. Roey says, “My hope for the future is my life, I’ve been in and out of jail my whole life and I’ve been through the juvenile system. As an adult this was my 19th admission. So my hope for the future is my kids, being the father that I haven’t been. I can’t change the past, but I can change the future.”
Catch the Sir Doug Nicholls Round Boots in Action
Don’t miss these deadly custom boots when the Geelong Cats take on the Western Bulldogs at GMHBA Stadium on Thursday 22 May, 7.30pm — playing on Alisha F’s Wadawurrung Country.
