Roos and Swans to face off in 'pretty special' NAIDOC Round

Front of mind for many of the players will be the chance to represent and acknowledge Indigenous culture and history in AFL North West's NAIDOC Round.

Swans co-coach and player, Jeff Talbot, is descended from the local Gomeroi mob on his father's side, and the Yuin nation on the south coast of NSW through his mother.

To have his background acknowledged in this way, Talbot said, is "great".

"It's always good seeing [NAIDOC Week] celebrated nationally at the AFL level," he said.

"Growing up and playing in Indigenous carnivals myself, it's always something that I've shared with mates and relatives. But to have it as a club, it's been great.

"Especially out at country areas ... up here at the Swans it's been great to have that recognition."

To supplement their support of NAIDOC Round, the Swans have spent two years working to have a custom jersey made by local Gomeroi artist Rosie Geale.

The Gomeroi word 'barayamal' means black swan, which is the variety found throughout the local region. The Swans' jerseys will portray the story of a mother swan laying eggs and protecting them, which Talbot said was "sort of fitting in a football environment".

"People come together from all different backgrounds and they have that protectiveness and closeness, and willingness to be part of a team," he said.

The Kangaroos, meanwhile, could not have jerseys made, but that did not make the round any less poignant for young Ruby Spark, who has played in the Roos women's team for three years.

"It's pretty special," the teenager said.

"It's good to recognise who else is Aboriginal in the Swans team and the Roos team. It'll be a good game."

For someone her age, Ruby is remarkably in touch with her cultural heritage. She took part in the Girls' Academy at her school to forge connections with other Indigenous students, has "close ties with my Aboriginal family", and went to an Indigenous AFL camp earlier this year.

Both teams share deep connections to Australia's Indigenous roots, which they are keen to put on display during both the men's and women's games this weekend.

Each of the matches are expected to be hard-fought, and in recent weeks there has been little to separate them in terms of results.

The top-of-the-table men's game, Talbot said, will be "very important for how the competition's going to pan out for the rest of the year".

The Swans and Roos women's teams, meanwhile, are third and fourth respectively. But Spark believes her side can upset their higher-ranked opponents.

"If we play like we did last weekend, I think we have a chance," she said.

"It's always a very tough game against the Swans, very competitive."

The local derby will get underway from noon this Saturday with the women's game, before a smoke ceremony and welcome to country from Lenny Waters at 2pm. The men's clash will then get started at roughly 2.30pm. Both fixtures will be played at No. 1 Oval.

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