MADE in Nyirripi, for Nyirripi.
Melbourne’s 2026 Indigenous guernsey is a celebration of the club’s connection to the small Northern Territory town, 440kms out of Alice Springs.
Sitting on the land of the Warlpiri People, the community is home to the Nyirripi Demons.
The heart of Nyirripi beats red and blue, with walls all around town covered by club colours, their love of the Demons felt as soon as you arrive.
From the red and blue Nyirripi sign as you enter, to the kids running around in Dees’ jumpers, it’s a place that Melbourne holds a special relationship with.
This year’s guernsey has been designed by Vanetta Nampijinpa Hudson, a Nyirripi artist whose works tell the stories passed down by her father and his father before him for millennia.
She paints stories of Warlukurlangu Jukurrpa (Fire Dreaming), which relate directly to her land, its features and the plants and animals that inhabit it.
Vanetta grew up in Nyirripi, while also attending Worawa Aboriginal College in Melbourne, a partner of the Jim Stynes Foundation.
The Dees have developed a strong relationship with the community for more than a decade with the club’s first ever Indigenous guernsey in 2014 designed by Ursula Napangardi Hudson, Vanetta’s mother.
Since then, Melbourne has kept this connection as a priority of its partnership with the Northern Territory, visiting Nyirripi on various occasions to share in their love of football and the Demons.
The guernsey conception started at the beginning of 2025 when Ricky Mentha Jnr, Jack Viney, Jake Lever and Kate Hore all visited the town to chat with community leaders and Traditional Owners.
Twelve months on, with designs finalised and the guernsey ready to share, Kysaiah and Latrelle Pickett joined Mentha Jnr. in visiting the community to reveal the final jumper to Vanetta, in what was a special moment for her and her family.
Mentha Jnr, who has a personal connection to Nyirripi, said he was proud to play for a club that invested in the places that were important to him.
“I’ve got lots of family that live in Nyirripi, and so it’s a really special thing that Vanetta from Nyirripi designed the guernsey for this year,” Mentha Jnr said.
“I love the vibe in the community. It may be a small town but it’s a special place where everyone is so connected.
Viney also shared his pride in the club’s relationship with Nyirripi, and spoke to his gratitude for the opportunity to spend time there in 2025.
“My time in Nyirripi was a really special and memorable experience and I'm very proud to play for a club that has this connection,” Viney said
“Flying into the town, playing footy on the red dirt oval, dancing and listening to music, hanging out at the school, they really make you feel a part of the community.
“I spent just a few hours there and saw how important the community spaces are, so it’s really cool that, through the club and the Jim Stynes Foundation, we’re able to give back to the town. I know it’s going to be a worthwhile investment.”
Melbourne, alongside its partner the Jim Stynes Foundation, is committed to continuing its connection to the town, with all profits from the sale of this guernsey to go directly back into the Nyirripi community.
The guernsey is now available on the Demon Shop, thanks to the club’s official apparel partner, New Balance.
The Dees will don this jumper during their home Sir Doug Nicholls Round game in Round 10 and during Round 12, as the home team in the club’s annual Alice Springs match.
Due to a jumper clash with the Western Bulldogs in Round 11, the club will be required to wear its traditional home guernsey.
Melbourne will once again rebrand to Narrm Football Club for the duration of Sir Doug Nicholls Round, opting to take on the traditional Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung word for Melbourne and its surrounds.
