Indigenous Essendon defender Nathan Lovett-Murray says the club’s annual Dreamtime at the G clash with Richmond ranks alongside Anzac Day matches in significance.
Speaking ahead of Saturday night’s clash at the MCG, Lovett-Murray said participating in the game, the centrepiece of the AFL’s indigenous round, was something that he would treasure.
“I’d probably rate indigenous round right up there the same as the Anzac Day match,” Lovett-Murray said.
“I played in my first Dreamtime at the G two years ago and the pride that I get from playing in that game and representing all indigenous people around Australia, it’s one of my highlights of my football career.”
Richmond coach Terry Wallace said the thrilling nature of the contests over the past two seasons had helped stamp the fixture as an important part of the AFL calendar.
“To see the crowds that have been here over the last couple of years and the way the game’s grown, both the pre-match (entertainment) and then the game itself, I think it’s very similar to the Anzac game,” Wallace said.
“It’s played in a fantastic spirit, over the past two years in particular since they’ve been the Saturday night games.
“Both those games finished with only 10 points (total) between the two clubs on the two occasions, with one win to Essendon last year and us winning by a couple of points the year before.
“So very, very similar to Anzac Day, it doesn’t matter where the two sides are on the ladder, I think the understanding of what the game’s about and how it’s grown is not lost to the two clubs.”
Aboriginal Tigers midfielder Richard Tambling said it was a proud moment representing the nation’s indigenous people.
“It’s sort of something that we call our own and there’s not many things out there that the indigenous people can say it belongs to them,” Tambling said.
“Just to run out onto the field on Saturday night just to put on a show will be amazing.”
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