Essendon-Richmond to play Dreamtime in Darwin in round 13
The AFL has confirmed that the annual Dreamtime match between Essendon and Richmond will be played in Darwin on Saturday August 22 as the main drawcard for the annual Sir Doug Nicholls Round.
The round 13 match will be played at night at TIO Stadium, as The Age first reported earlier this month, and has been labelled the Dreamtime in Darwin game.
The remainder of round 13 is likely to be announced next week with the chance more games could be played in the Northern Territory on that weekend.
Tanya Hosch, the AFL's social policy and inclusion manager, said playing the game, which is normally held at the MCG, in the Top End for the first time will be a special moment.
"Sir Doug Nicholls Round creates a platform to profile players who have changed the game’s history and faced racism and discrimination to fight for equality and recognition, such as Syd Jackson has," Hosch said.
"2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the Discrimination and Racial and Religious Vilification Act which was introduced in 1995.
Richmond and Essendon players line up together at Dreamtime at the 'G last year.Credit:Getty Images
"This act clearly signalled that racial and religious vilification would no longer be tolerated in Australian Football. We continue to prioritise an inclusive environment for all people within the industry and focus on identifying strategies targeted at the prevention of vilification before it occurs."
This year's round, while continuing to celebrate Nicholls, will also recognise legend Syd Jackson's contribution to the game and the community.
Richmond and Essendon are both vying for finals spots with the game expected to play a significant role in shaping the final eight as the 17-round season draws to a conclusion.
The match will be played just weeks after the league had to apologise to the game's Indigenous players and their families for any distress caused when a miscommunication led to Indigenous players being told they had to have pneumococcal vaccinations before entering Queensland.