As part of the AFL’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round, which celebrates Indigenous culture in the game, TIO Stadium in Darwin is set to host a massive Round 11 clash between the Gold Coast Suns and Western Bulldogs on Saturday, May 27 at 6:55PM ACST.
The Suns are knocking on the door of the top eight, with four wins from the opening nine rounds putting them in 11th position, while the Demons are second and are well-placed to have another tilt at the ultimate glory in 2023.
The Suns-Bulldogs clash will be the first of three Toyota AFL Premiership Season matches to be played in the Northern Territory in 2023. The Suns will be back at TIO Stadium the following week in Round 12 to host the in-form Adelaide Crows on Saturday, June 3 at 7:00pm ACST, before Melbourne returns to Alice Springs for a clash with the GWS Giants in Round 16, with match details to be confirmed.
In 2022, the Territory also hosted three matches, with the Suns winning both their clashes in Darwin against the Hawks and Kangaroos before the Demons proved too strong for Port Adelaide in Alice Springs.
For this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round celebrations, the AFL has launched a new platform titled ‘Moments Forged by First Nations’ that recognises unforgettable moments and contributions of past and present Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander footballers and umpires who have paved the way for other First Nations people in our game.
Featured across Rounds 10 and 11, the Sir Doug Nicholls Round video includes a customised track from Bundjalung rapper and Triple J Unearthed Artist of the Year 2020 JK-47 titled ‘Carrying Forth the Torch’ and showcases the impact and legacy of a host of the game’s top Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players including Eddie Betts, Andrew McLeod, Buddy Franklin and proud football families including the Motlops, Riolis and Krakouers.
Click here for the full media release on Sir Doug Nicholls Round from the AFL.