Young brothers Hamish and Kobe Collins, who created the Indigenous artwork featured on the 2024 NAB AFL Auskick t-shirts, will attend the iconic Dreamtime at the ‘G match between Richmond and Essendon on Saturday night.

Proud Arrernte Anmatyerr boys from the Northern Territory, Hamish (17yo) and Kobe (14yo) grew up in a small, remote community called Yuelamu in Alice Springs and love creating art to tell stories and connect with their culture.

Their design is not only showcased in this year’s Auskick packs, but during Sir Doug Nicholls Round it also features on the t-shirts worn by Auskickers who take part in half-time matches across the country.

The artwork, titled ‘Reconciliation’, represents young people of all communities uniting and having equality through sport – a reflection of their own personal experience.

Since starting their Auskick journey at the Alice Springs Hawks, footy has played a transformative role in the brothers’ lives, with Auskick providing them not only with athletic skills, but also fostering a sense of community and belonging. The program nurtured their teamwork, resilience, and leadership abilities, contributing significantly to their personal development and connecting them with diverse communities.

Hamish, who moved to Adelaide with his brother Kobe, said he can’t wait to attend the game on Saturday.

“I’m really looking forward to attending the game with my brother and sharing this experience with my family – it’s going to be very special,” he said.

“We’re really proud of the artwork we created for the Auskick packs and it’s going to be amazing to see kids running out on the ‘G for the Dreamtime match and throughout Sir Doug Nicholls Round wearing our design.

“Auskick gave us so many skills and helped my brother and I develop as kids. The artwork is a representation of people connecting through footy and it reflects our own experience and the journey of uniting communities all over Australia.”
 
The brothers are still very much involved in footy, representing Northern Territory in state championships, school football at Sacred Heart College, the Tjindu Foundation Academy as well as currently playing Juniors for North Adelaide FC in the SANFL.

Executive General Manager of Inclusion and Social Policy, Tanya Hosch, said she was delighted Hamish and Kobe are able to attend the Dreamtime match.

“What a special moment for these young men to travel to Melbourne and experience Dreamtime at the ‘G, and see their design showcased during Sir Doug Nicholls Round,” Hosch said.

“For Hamish and Kobe to grow up playing Auskick and form such a strong connection to our game makes their design genuine and connected in its message.

“The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children registering for NAB AFL Auskick continues to grow, and pleasingly it’s up seven per cent nationally compared to this time last year.

“We need to ensure we keep providing opportunities for Indigenous children and young people to play and be involved with the game.” 

About NAB AFL Auskick
NAB AFL Auskick is an introductory program for kids to connect with Australian rules football while having lots of fun and being active – it’s time to ‘Find Your Awesome!’  
 
In weekly sessions, kids will focus on building football skills and playing in a safe and super fun setting. Expect small groups, heaps of games and parent/guardian involvement.   
 
NAB AFL Auskick invites all children aged 5-12 no matter their knowledge, skill or ability, to participate in the non-contact program.   
 
NAB AFL Auskick offers an inclusive environment for everyone to get involved, with optional All Girls Auskick programs and All Abilities Auskick centres available.    
 
More than 126,000 boys and girls participated in NAB AFL Auskick programs at more than 4,000 centres across the country in 2023 – setting a new record!  
 
Auskick participants have the chance to feature in mini games during halftime at elite AFL and AFLW matches throughout the season. A once-in-a-lifetime experience for many kids! 
 
Upon signing up, all Auskickers get an awesome pack filled with cool footy goodies not available anywhere else.  
 
Visit play.afl/auskick for more details.