EVERY year, the Australian Football League celebrates Sir Doug Nicholls round, to celebrate Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander contributions to the game.
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This is something that is particularly important to the Bathurst Giants AFL Club, as they have been doing their utmost in recent years to foster the development of Indigenous players.
This year, to continue this development, Hailee Taylor, who is a proud Indigenous woman, organised an afternoon of traditional games for Auskick participants.
Auskick is the starting point for those interested in AFL, and provides an opportunity for kids aged five to twelve to learn the basics of the game.
Earlier this month, as part of Sir Doug Nicholls Round, learning the basics of the game was combined with learning about Indigenous culture.
"Today, we're out here at George Park One, on Wiradyuri country, for the start of the Giants Indigenous Round," Ms Taylor said.
"We have the Auskickers down here doing some traditional Indigenous games. They're practising some hunter, gathering skills, while combining their AFL skills."
These games included using the Sherrin football to simulate Australian native animals.
"One of the games that they're playing today, is they're trying to catch the birds for dinner," Ms Taylor said.
"The AFL balls are getting thrown up in the air, and the kids are having to run in and catch it, which is what is the 'bird for dinner.'"
It was something different for the Auskick kids, who enjoyed a change of pace from their usual training sessions.
One attendee who particularly enjoyed the change of pace, was seven-year-old Zara Tallentire, who has been playing AFL for one year.
"We get to catch, and we get to play and pretend that we are catching birds and emus and catching dinner."
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The Giants AFL Indigenous Round also included several senior activities.
The senior men's team played in Indigenous guernseys for the round, and Scrunchiko were at the footy fields selling some Indigenous scrunchies.
The weekend was opened by Josh Sly, who is an Indigenous artist, and designed the guernseys.
He did a smoking ceremony and a presentation to explain the meaning behind the guernseys.
The Giants also provided prizes to the best on ground for the men's, women's, junior and Auskick participants.
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