INDIGENOUS Round does a brilliant job of celebrating the connection Australian Football has to its first people, but Adelaide legend Andrew McLeod says it's time to discuss week-to-week recognition.

For the first time in the game's history every club will wear a specially designed guernsey for the round.

McLeod designed Adelaide's jumper, which includes a map of the South Australian communities linked with the club and its indigenous programs.

McLeod said to recognise the country's indigenous culture in the national game each round would make sense.

After all, the game's origin is strongly linked to pre-settlement Australia.

"Football's got many names, Marngrook is one of them," McLeod said.

"People talk about Women's Round and how we should be celebrating women in football all the time. I see [Indigenous Round] a bit like that - don't get me wrong - I think it's fantastic what's happened, every club has embraced the round.

"But there's no reason why we can't have a conversation about making something a bit more permanent."

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McLeod said commercial agreements could make it difficult to permanently introduce celebrations of Australia's original culture in particular elements of the game, be it on goal-post padding or the Sherrin, which this weekend
will feature striking indigenous artwork.

Below: Andrew McLeod's jumper

Imagine the 'rainbow serpent', found in dreaming stories throughout many of Australia's indigenous cultures, arching across the ground to replace the simple two-toned 50m lines. 

Commenting on this year's crop of Indigenous Round jumpers, McLeod wondered whether individual clubs might consider embracing the design throughout the season.

"A lot of that stuff is commercialised, which could make it hard, but I think it's great to be able to aim for something focuses on full-time recognition," he said.

"Some of the jumpers [for this round] look better than some of the away jumpers or clash jumpers…could they adopt something like that as part of the club?"

McLeod, a dual Norm Smith medallist, is actively involved with indigenous communities.



In conjunction with the Crows, he and his wife Rachael have established a series of programs that promote education in the remote indigenous communities of the state's APY Lands.

Indigenous Round kicks off on Thursday night when the Sydney Swans tackle Geelong at the SCG; Adelaide will face Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

Twitter: @AFL_Harry