North Melbourne Tasmanian Kangaroos midfielder and proud Jawoyn woman Mia King has opened up about her connection to the club’s 2023 AFLW Indigenous guernsey.

Titled ‘Connecting Through Identity’, the Kangaroos unveiled the design last month when they wore it as a clash guernsey against Geelong.

Now the side will wear it across their next two games against Yartapuulti (Port Adelaide) and Naarm (Melbourne) as the competition celebrates Indigenous Round.

The design was created by Wemba Wemba, Gunditjmara, Ngadjonji and Taungurung artist Emma Bamblett and is similar to that worn by the club’s AFL team during Sir Doug Nicholls Round earlier this year.

It was inspired by the club’s Indigenous players and where they come from, including King.

“The club approached me last year and said that they'd found Emma Bamblett to design (this year’s) Indigenous guernsey, and we went to a café initially to talk through elements we wanted to have in the design,” King said.

“The final result is absolutely amazing.”

At the heart of the guernsey is a football field with the outline of the Aboriginal flag in the centre. This represents the club’s home of Arden Street Oval and identity.

Water is also a key element of design flowing throughout the front of the guernsey. The larger circles connected to the field by rivers represent the players and their communities and depict the players being brought together at the club by the waterways from their Country and the waterways surrounding Arden Street Oval.

The back of the guernsey features a coolamon on the left and a figure of a female on the right. These symbols represent the significant women in King and Bamblett’s lives, including King’s paternal grandmother Maggie.

“The really significant women within my life and Mia's life are who we really highlighted on the back of the jumper,” Bamblett said.

“There’s the coolamon, which is a wooden vessel traditionally used for nursing newborn bubs, gathering and as a digging tool.”

“We’ve also got a female figure. For me, this represents my grandmother and the strength and resilience that she had,” King added.

“It’s really special that she's on this guernsey with me.

“I think that not only for me but all the girls on the team. Whatever strong female figure that they've got in their lives – they're wearing it with them on the day.”

The design also pays respect to the Wurundjeri people, the Traditional Owners of the land on which Arden Street Oval sits, with the Bunjil soaring high over the hills and waterways at the bottom of the guernsey.

It is the fourth time King will represent her culture during Indigenous Round since the dedicated round was first celebrated across the AFLW competition in 2021.

“Indigenous Round is really special to me,” King said.

“It brings everyone together to celebrate something so special, and that is one of the longest continuing cultures in the world.

“I'm really proud to run out with the girls in the team. I know that they've all got me … so I'm really looking forward to the next two weeks.”

The Kangaroos’ 2023 AFLW Indigenous guernsey is available in-store and online at the Roo Shop.