Dreamtime at the 'G

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Dreamtime at the 'G
Dreamtime at the 'G.png
Dreamtime at the 'G match logo
Teams Essendon
Richmond
First meeting9 July 2005
Latest meeting25 May 2024
Next meeting2025
Broadcasters Network Ten (2005–2011)
Seven Network (2012–present)
Stadiums Melbourne Cricket Ground (2005–2019, 2022–present)
Marrara Oval (2020)
Perth Stadium (2021)
Statistics
Meetings total20
All-time series (Australian Football League only)Richmond – 12 wins
Essendon – 8 wins
Largest victory Richmond – 71 points
(2 June 2018)

The Dreamtime at the 'G is an annual Australian rules football match between Australian Football League clubs Essendon and Richmond.

Contents

Since the 2007 season the match has been held annually on the Saturday night of the AFL's "Indigenous Round", also known as the Sir Doug Nicholls Round. The name of the match comes from the Australian Aboriginal term "Dreamtime" and "the 'G", a nickname for the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) where the match usually takes place; it has been played away from the ground on two occasions, when the COVID-19 pandemic impacted football in Victoria.

The game draws one of the highest crowds of the home-and-away season, with an average crowd of over 70,000 since its inception (with the exception of rain-affected matches), and a record attendance of 85,656 in 2017. The winning club is awarded the "Kevin Sheedy Cup", and the best player on the ground is awarded the "Yiooken Award".

History

Dreamtime at the 'G was first held in 2005, with the aim being to recognise the contribution of all Indigenous players to the AFL. [1] It was held during NAIDOC Week. [2]

From 2006, the Yiooken Award has been awarded to the player judged best on ground in the match. [3]

In 2007, following the success of the match in 2005 and 2006, the AFL nominated a specific Indigenous Round (round 9), which has become an annual event in which the Dreamtime at the 'G match takes centre stage. The success of the annual match, which now usually features crowds in excess of 80,000, led to the two clubs agreeing to cement the match's official status for an additional decade in May 2016. [4]

From 2016, the Indigenous Round was named after Sir Doug Nicholls, the only AFL player to have been knighted and the only Aboriginal person or AFL player to serve as a state governor. [5] Each year, each player in all 18 clubs wears a specially-commissioned artwork by an Indigenous artist on their guernsey. [6] In 2019, former Essendon player Michael Long was honoured during this round. [7]

In 2020, the match was played at Marrara Oval in Darwin, as it was not possible for the match to be played in Melbourne due to the city being locked down during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. [8] In 2021, another COVID-19 lockdown in Victoria led to the AFL moving the fixture to Optus Stadium in Perth, which also held the Grand Final that year. [9]

Logo for the relocated match in 2020. Dreamtime in Darwin.jpg
Logo for the relocated match in 2020.
Logo for the relocated match in 2021. Dreamtime in Perth.png
Logo for the relocated match in 2021.

Notable matches

The Long Walk

The Long Walk at the 2010 Dreamtime at the 'G match. Cathy Freeman (far left), Michael Long (centre-left) and Nathan Lovett-Murray (centre, in suit) are visible. The Long Walk 2010 (4630623057) (cropped).jpg
The Long Walk at the 2010 Dreamtime at the 'G match. Cathy Freeman (far left), Michael Long (centre-left) and Nathan Lovett-Murray (centre, in suit) are visible.

The match is associated with the pre-game commemoration events organised by The Long Walk, a charity inspired by Indigenous former Essendon player Michael Long, who walked halfway from Melbourne to Canberra in 2004 to get the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people back on the national agenda. He halted his walk after then Prime Minister John Howard agreed to talk to him. [14]

On the day of the Dreamtime match, The Long Walk holds a community celebration featuring entertainment and activities as well as community organisation information stalls. Prior to the Dreamtime match, Long and several thousand other participants walk from Federation Square to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to promote reconciliation. In 2013, over 15,000 participants walked to the MCG. The walk has grown in stature and size, and in 2016 was attended by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the Leader of the Opposition, Bill Shorten. [15]

Curtain raisers

Players from both teams observe a war cry representing each club and performed by Indigenous people from local communities in 2019 Dreamtime war cry 25.05.19.jpg
Players from both teams observe a war cry representing each club and performed by Indigenous people from local communities in 2019

A curtain raiser match is sometimes held between two Indigenous football teams from around Australia and its territories.

YearMatch/Series NameTeamTeam
2005 [16] West Australian Clontarf Aboriginal Academy
Western Australia
vsVictorian Indigenous
Victoria
2006No curtain-raiser match, only entertainment and welcome ceremony [3]
2007 [17] Tiwi Bombers
Tiwi Islands
vs Rumbalara
Shepparton, Central Victoria
2008 [18] Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte)
Alice Springs, Northern Territory
vsFitzroy Stars
Melbourne
2009 [19] Imalu Tigers
Tiwi Islands
vsBrambuk Eels
Western Victoria
2010 [20] Rio Tinto Challenge CupNorthern
Northern Australia
vsSouthern
Southern Australia

Pre-match ceremony

Each year, the game is preceded by an extravagant indigenous-based music and entertainment show. Performers in 2008, for example, included Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody. [ citation needed ]

Match results

YearDateRdHome TeamScoreAway TeamScoreGroundCrowdWinnerMHRTH2HYiooken Award WinnerReport
1 2005 9/715Richmond14.8 (92)Essendon9.12 (66) Melbourne Cricket Ground 49,975Richmond26W+1Not awarded [lower-alpha 1]
2 2006 6/56Essendon13.17 (95)Richmond13.19 (97) Melbourne Cricket Ground 58,439Richmond2L+2 Dean Polo (Richmond) [21]
3 2007 26/59Richmond12.12 (84)Essendon12.20 (92) Melbourne Cricket Ground 61,837Essendon8L+1 James Hird (Essendon) [22]
4 2008 24/59Essendon10.12 (72)Richmond16.14 (110) Melbourne Cricket Ground 60,333Richmond38L+2 Nathan Foley (Richmond) [23]
5 2009 23/59Richmond12.13 (85)Essendon19.11 (125) Melbourne Cricket Ground 73,625Essendon40L+1 Jason Winderlich (Essendon) [24]
6 2010 23/59Essendon19.16 (130)Richmond14.11 (95) Melbourne Cricket Ground 64,709Essendon35W0 David Hille (Essendon) [25]
7 2011 21/59Richmond16.9 (105)Essendon13.11 (89) Melbourne Cricket Ground 83,563Richmond16W+1 Trent Cotchin (Richmond) [26]
8 2012 19/58Essendon19.14 (128)Richmond15.19 (109) Melbourne Cricket Ground 80,900Essendon19W0 Brett Deledio (Richmond) [27]
9 2013 25/59Richmond9.8 (62)Essendon13.13 (91) Melbourne Cricket Ground 84,234Essendon29L+1 Jobe Watson (Essendon) [28]
10 2014 31/511Essendon15.14 (104)Richmond7.12 (54) Melbourne Cricket Ground 74,664Essendon50W+2 Brendon Goddard (Essendon) [29]
11 2015 30/59Richmond10.12 (72)Essendon8.11 (59) Melbourne Cricket Ground 83,804Richmond13W+1 Brandon Ellis (Richmond) [30]
12 2016 28/510Essendon10.7 (67)Richmond16.9 (105) Melbourne Cricket Ground 56,948Richmond38L0 Dustin Martin (Richmond) [31]
13 2017 27/510Richmond11.15 (81)Essendon10.6 (66) Melbourne Cricket Ground 85,656Richmond15W+1 Dustin Martin (Richmond) (2) [32]
14 2018 2/611Essendon6.7 (43)Richmond17.12 (114) Melbourne Cricket Ground 81,046Richmond71L+2 Shane Edwards (Richmond) [33]
15 2019 25/510Richmond10.13 (73)Essendon6.14 (50) Melbourne Cricket Ground 80,176Richmond23W+3 Bachar Houli (Richmond) [34]
16 2020 22/813Essendon10.1 (61)Richmond10.13 (73) Marrara Oval [lower-alpha 2] 5,401 [lower-alpha 3] Richmond12L+4 Shai Bolton (Richmond) [10]
17 2021 5/612Essendon12.12 (84)Richmond19.9 (123) Perth Stadium [lower-alpha 4] 55,656Richmond39L+5 Darcy Parish (Essendon) [35]
18 2022 21/510Richmond11.14 (80)Essendon7.6 (48) Melbourne Cricket Ground 70,226Richmond32W+6 Dion Prestia (Richmond) [36]
19 2023 20/510Essendon10.11 (71)Richmond10.10 (70) Melbourne Cricket Ground 79,300Essendon1W+5 Zach Merrett (Essendon) [37]
20 2024 25/511Richmond10.14 (74)Essendon12.14 (86) Melbourne Cricket Ground 79,359Essendon12W+4 Jordan Ridley (Essendon) [38]
Summary results
ClubWinning yearsTotal winsYiooken AwardsTotal awards
Essendon 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2023, 202482007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2021, 2023, 20248
Richmond 2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022122006, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 202211

Kevin Sheedy Cup

The centre circle is decorated with the colours of the Aboriginal flag in 2019 Dreamtime centre circle 25.05.19.jpg
The centre circle is decorated with the colours of the Aboriginal flag in 2019

In 2005, Richmond and Essendon first competed for the Kevin Sheedy Cup. [39] The cup has continued to be awarded to the winner of each Dreamtime at the 'G game.[ citation needed ]

Sheedy has a strong connection with both Essendon and Richmond, having played 251 games for Richmond, including their 1969, 1973 and 1974 premiership teams. He won the 1976 best & fairest award, captained the club in 1978, was named on their Team of the Century at left back-pocket and inducted into the Richmond Hall of Fame in 2002. He retired in 1979. He then went on to coach Essendon from 1981 to 2007, amassing 635 games as coach and led the club to premierships in 1984, 1985, 1993 & 2000. He was named as coach of the Essendon Team of the Century. He was a selector for the Indigenous Team of the Century and has championed indigenous football, reconciliation, and education. [40]

See also

Notes

  1. No individual award in 2005, as the first Yiooken Award was awarded in 2006.
  2. Match was moved to Marrara Oval in Darwin due to COVID-19 restrictions in Melbourne.
  3. Capacity of ground reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
  4. Match was moved to Perth Stadium in Perth due to COVID-19 restrictions in Melbourne.

Related Research Articles

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References

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