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AFLW: Walyalup (Fremantle) Dockers unveil Indigenous strip centred on former player Tiah Toth

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Chris RobinsonThe West Australian
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Tiah Toth and Breeanna Haynes with the jumper.
Camera IconTiah Toth and Breeanna Haynes with the jumper. Credit: Fremantle FC

An inaugural Docker’s footballing journey marks the inspiration for this year’s Indigenous jumper that Walyalup (Fremantle) players will don across the coming fortnight in their push to lock in a finals spot.

Tiah Toth’s story is at the centre of the new strip, which was designed by her sister Breeanna Haynes. Toth played 24 AFLW games before her career ended in 2022.

Having endured the ups and downs of footy, including an injury-impacted career that included being cut by the Dockers and then drafted, Toth said she was proud to be recognised in the form of the club’s artwork.

“The story for me is more about my journey through the football club... being able to come back twice with the luck of being drafted again after a couple of injuries,” Toth explained.

“I was lucky enough to ask Breeanna to help me do the design and she’s managed to do a really good job and nail down every little piece of my story and be able to put it into the artwork.”

Fremantle players show off the jumper.
Camera IconFremantle players show off the jumper. Credit: Fremantle FC

The Game AFL 2024

The jumper features seven circles to represent the different clubs Toth played for, with five inner circles symbolising her significant injuries including the shoulder setback that sidelined her just three games into her AFLW career in 2017.

There are also willie wagtails as a nod to the family’s totem, with the bird linked to the pair’s relative Nanny Dixon following her recent passing at age 98.

“I’m quite thankful that Tiah chose me to do the design work with her as I’ve been alongside her throughout the whole journey,” Haynes said.

Freo will play their final two matches of the home-and-away season in the jumper, with a finals spot guaranteed with just one win against the lowly Giants or Bulldogs.

The sixth-placed Dockers can sneak into the top four with wins in both of those games should Adelaide (third) or Brisbane (fourth) stumble down the final stretch. The Crows and Lions are one win and percentage clear of Lisa Webb’s side.

Waalitj Marawar - meaning ‘Eagles of the West - also revealed their First Nations strip on Monday, revealing the jersey designed by Yamatji artist Loretta Egan for the men would be used but with a royal blue background rather than yellow.

“The ‘Ngularl’ is the Wedge-Tailed Eagle in Wajarri language, surrounded by the map of WA - the home of the Eagle - where it stands proud and strong, facing east ready for anything that comes its way.” Egan said.

“The circle in the centre represents the Eagles’ nest. The U-shapes around the circle represent people sitting around the home of the Eagles. The four stars represent the four premierships we have won.

“The Eagle tracks up the top signify the Eagles players leaving their mark wherever they play. The other circles represent other AFL clubs.”

However, the variation on the yellow jumpers will not be available to buy.

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