Dreamtime at the 'G

Annual Australian rules football match between Essendon and Richmond

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

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.

Logo for the relocated match in 2021.

Notable matches

• Round 6, 2006, saw Richmond escape with a two-point victory over Essendon after Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls scored the match-winning behind with minutes remaining in the final quarter.
• Round 9, 2007: With just under five minutes remaining, Richmond had a 12-point lead, which was pulled back by Essendon to level the match at 84-apiece; the score was Richmond 12.12.(84) – Essendon 11.18.(84). Tigers full-forward Matthew Richardson thought he had kicked the match-winning goal, but a subsequent fifty-metre penalty was awarded after Richardson had pushed his opponent in the back prior to kicking the goal. Essendon kicked the last 1.2.(8) of the match to win the game by eight points and deny Richmond what would have been their first win of the 2007 season.
• Round 13, 2020, was notable due to the unique circumstances under which the game took place as a result of the stage four COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in Melbourne which prevented the match from being played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The match was played at Marrara Oval in Darwin, with Richmond winning by twelve points. Shai Bolton, who designed the guernsey the Richmond players wore in this match, won the Yiooken Medal for his best-on-ground performance.^[10]
• Similar to the year before, the Round 12, 2021, match saw a relocation of the match from Melbourne due to a COVID-19 lockdown, this time to Optus Stadium in Perth. Despite losing the match by 39 points, Essendon player Darcy Parish won the Yiooken Medal for his record-breaking performance of 44 disposals. It was the most disposals in one match ever recorded by an Essendon player.^[11]
• Round 10, 2023, was notable for several reasons. Going into the match, Essendon's form, which was strong for the first five games, had diminished, partly due to numerous injuries, and consequently they entered the game with a four-game losing streak despite showing valour in these games. Richmond, on the other hand, had come off two convincing wins in a row, including an upset win against Geelong, and were comfortable favourites. More tellingly, though, Richmond had won the last 13 games against Essendon, with Essendon's last win against them being in 2014.^[12] In a relatively low-scoring affair, the game was close all day, with Richmond leading by three goals in the final quarter. Essendon managed to claw back the lead back by a couple of goals to trail by just 5 points with a few minutes to go. In the final minutes, a tenacious tackle by Essendon's Zach Merrett (whose 39-disposal game coincidentally won the Yiooken Medal by a unanimous vote) brought down Richmond star Dustin Martin in Richmond's attacking half, an effort that commentator Jonathan Brown called "inspirational";^[13] the tackle was enough to compromise the accuracy of Martin's kick. With less than a minute remaining, Essendon were able to rebound the ball into their forward 50. A centralising snap kick in Essendon's left pocket was marked by Essendon forward Sam Durham at the top of the goal square. With just a handful of seconds to go, Durham composed himself and kicked the match-winning goal to put Essendon a point ahead and seal the game.

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 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

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

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

Kevin Sheedy Cup

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

• Indigenous Team of the Century
• Indigenous All-Stars (Australian rules football)
• List of individual match awards in the Australian Football League

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.

References

1. Karen Lyon (6 July 2005). "Tigers, Bombers conjure 'Dreamtime at the 'G'". Melbourne: The Age.
2. Callander, Sean (2005). "Football Dream". AFL Record (Round 15): 12–13.
3. "Dreamtime at the G – 2006". Essendon Football Club. 10 May 2007. Archived from the original on 14 May 2007. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
4. "Tigers, Dons lock in Dreamtime at the 'G". Richmond FC. 26 May 2016.
5. "AFL to honour Sir Doug Nicholls in 2016 Indigenous round". The Guardian. 28 October 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
6. Grieve, Charlotte (22 May 2019). "AFL Indigenous guernseys revealed, and the stories behind them". The Age. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
7. "2019 Toyota AFL Sir Doug Nicholls Round to honour Michael Long". AFL Northern Territory. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2019.
8. Barrett, Damian (31 July 2020). "The Dreamtime NOT at the 'G: Sir Doug Nicholls headline act gets new stage". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
9. Barrett, Damian (30 May 2021). "Dreamtime in Perth: More fixture shuffles coming for R12". AFL.com.au. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
10. Twomey, Callum (22 August 2020). "Wayward Tigers hold on in the heat of Dreamtime in Darwin". Australian Football League. Retrieved 22 August 2020.
11. "Tigers complete 100-year first with scary surge". wwos.nine.com.au. 5 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
12. "Head to Head Between Essendon and Richmond - FinalSiren.com". finalsiren.com. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
13. "Radical Dons tactic pays off in 'turning point' for Bombers; 'inspirational' moment elevates skipper's standing: 3-2-1". Fox Sports. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
14. The Long Walk
15. "The Long Walk: Malcolm Turnbull, Bill Shorten take steps towards Aboriginal reconciliation". ABC News. 28 May 2016.
16. "Dreamtime at the G". Melbourne: Essendon Football Club. 5 July 2005. Archived from the original on 14 May 2007.
17. "2007 Dreamtime at the G". Melbourne: AFL Bigpond Network. 23 May 2007. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012.
18. "Indigenous curtain-raiser at Dreamtime at the 'G". Melbourne: Essendon Football Club. 21 May 2008. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008.
19. "Ryder says Dreamtime will be something special". Melbourne: Essendon Football Club. 20 May 2009. Archived from the original on 18 September 2009.
20. "Dreamtime clash inspires Bombers". Melbourne: Essendon Football Club. 21 May 2010. Archived from the original on 26 May 2010.
21. "Polo recognised for starring debut". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 9 May 2006. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
22. "Dreamtime delight for the Bombers". Melbourne: Essendon Football Club. 26 May 2007. Archived from the original on 18 September 2007.
23. Burgan, Matt (24 May 2008). "Bombers fall to Tigers". AFL BigPond Network. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012.
24. Witham, Jennifer (23 May 2009). "Dons down Tigers by 40". AFL BigPond Network. Archived from the original on 29 September 2012.
25. Burgan, Matt (22 May 2010). "Dons in dreamland after easy win". AFL BigPond Network. Archived from the original on 24 May 2010.
26. Goraya, Raman (21 May 2011). "Young Tigers beat Bombers on big stage". ABC.
27. "Essendon recovers to fight off Richmond". The Examiner. 19 May 2012.
28. Gigacz, Andrew (25 May 2013). "Match report". AustralianFootball.com.
29. Gigacz, Andrew (31 May 2014). "Match report". AustralianFootball.com.
30. "Dustin Fletcher's 400th AFL match ends with Richmond Tigers beating Essendon Bombers by 13 points". ABC News. 30 May 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
31. "Match report: Tigers make it three straight with win over Dons". 28 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
32. Ryan, Peter (27 May 2017). "Match report: Tigers' Dreamtime redemption". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Archived from the original on 27 March 2017. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
33. Collins, Ben (2 June 2018). "Match report: Tigers give Dons Dreamtime nightmare". Archived from the original on 26 December 2017.
34. "Match report: Tigers give Dons Dreamtime nightmare". 25 May 2019. Archived from the original on 21 March 2019.
35. Schmook, Nathan (5 June 2021). "Tigers triumph again as Dreamtime turns to a nightmare for Dons".
36. Gabelich, Josh (21 May 2022). "Tigers take care of fired-up Bombers in Dreamtime dismantling".
37. Black, Sarah (20 May 2023). "Dreamtime drought breaker! Dons down Tigers at last".
38. Black, Sarah (25 May 2024). "Bombers hang on to edge past tenacious Tigers". AFL.
39. Wilson, Caroline; Rielly, Stephen (3 March 2006). "Dons, Tigers join in 'dream' game". The Age.
40. McLaughlin, Murray (12 February 2007). "Sheedy still promoting Indigenous football talent". Australian Broadcasting Corporation.