Raiders introduce 2025 Indigenous Jersey to Bring the Next Generation Together….

Raiders introduce 2025 Indigenous Jersey to Bring the Next Generation Together….

 

The Canberra Raiders have unveiled their 2025 Indigenous Jersey, designed to honour “The Next Generation: Strength, Vision & Legacy” NAIDOC theme. The launch took place at Cuz Boxing in Belconnen, a community space known for its support of Indigenous youth, reinforcing the club’s focus on unity and cultural empowerment .

 

Crafted by Ngunnawal, Bundjalung, and Kamilaroi artist Shaenice Miles, the jersey incorporates rich storytelling through central imagery: coconut nets, yarning circles, water, and ancestral representations. Miles collaborated closely with the Raiders’ Indigenous players—Sebastian Kris, Xavier Savage, Jamal Fogarty, and Vena Patuki‑Case—to integrate personal totems and cultural symbols authentically .

 

Design highlights include Xavier Savage’s Birri Gubba and Gunggandji roots via Torres Strait patterns; Sebastian Kris’s tribal totems—shovel-nose shark, dugong, crocodile, and snake; Jamal Fogarty’s daughters’ handprints behind a wedge-tailed eagle; Vena Patuki‑Case’s Wiradjuri goanna totem; and a bogong moth, a Ngunnawal ceremonial symbol . A multi-coloured band at the lower left symbolizes the reconciliation journey, bridging Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities .

 

Representatives—including captain Joe Tapine’s family, Jordan Martin and his family, and Xavier Savage’s sister and partner—stood alongside the club’s Indigenous stars to celebrate the release . This culturally resonant jersey not only celebrates heritage but also aims to inspire the next generation of First Nations youth through sport, culture, and community.