The Gold Coast SUNS have today revealed the club’s 2021 Indigenous guernsey which will be worn for the first time in the club’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round match in Darwin.

This year the club has facilitated a collaborative design featuring the artwork by Yugambeh artist Luther Cora and Larrakia artist Trent Lee.

With the SUNS playing its Sir Doug Nicholls clash in Darwin for the second-straight year, it was fitting that the design ensured the connection to both the Gold Coast and Darwin was clear and harmonious.

“I’m always proud to represent my family, my community and the club,” Cora said.

“I love the design I did – it was about community, different mobs coming together, reconciliation and also a celebration for the club.”

The art represents both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and a clear relationship to country and the connection between Larrakia and Yugambeh.

“It’s an honour for me to be able to be a part of the design process and just to be able to express myself and represent our people here in Darwin,” Lee said.

“I’m really excited to see the players wearing the guernsey and it’s really special to have Darwin included on this year’s guernsey.”

The guernsey features two sea turtles, one on the front representing the Larrakia people and Darwin and one on the back representing the Yugambeh people and the Gold Coast.

The two turtles with different coloured borders on their shell signify the difference between the Larrakia people and the Yugambeh people, but also acknowledge that we are all saltwater people and our connection to country and the sea is still strong.

Sea turtles always come onto the land to lay their eggs and go back to the sea. They later return to the exact same location to birth their offspring as this is also where their life began.

Just like the sea turtle, we feel most connected to our country where our ancestors and people are from.

The sun, which has been a key feature across the 2020 Indigenous guernsey and 2021 warm up top, is featured heavily again, and the red, blue and yellow colours are synonymous of the traditional custodians of the Gold Coast, the birthplace of the SUNS.

The sun is the giver of life and this sun represents people coming together. 

The rainbow serpent can be found in the background as the creator of animals, including the turtle, and the great giver of life and protector of water, which is its spiritual home. 

The names of all 17 Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander players that have represented the Gold Coast SUNS are also displayed on the back of the guernsey.