Sir Doug Nicholls Round
Players observe a war cry representing each club and performed by Indigenous groups in 2019 | |
| Sport | Australian rules football |
|---|---|
| First season | 2007 |
| Country | Australia |
| Related competitions | AFL |
The Sir Doug Nicholls Round is an annual event in the Australian Football League which celebrates the culture of Indigenous Australians and the contribution of Indigenous Australian players to the sport.
First established in 2007 as the Indigenous Round, the event was renamed in honour of pioneering Indigenous player and politician Sir Doug Nicholls in 2016. The event was originally staged over a single round of home-and-away matches; since 2019, it has been staged over two rounds. The centrepiece of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round is the Dreamtime at the 'G match, played annually between Richmond and Essendon at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on a Saturday night during the round.
Clubs adopt Indigenous symbols during the round, including wearing specially designed guernseys featuring Indigenous art, and adopting Indigenous versions of their club names.
The AFL Women's competition has an equivalent event, named the Indigenous Round, staged over two rounds each season.