Essendon legend Kevin Sheedy has welcomed the announcement of Dreamtime at Maali, backing the Bombers’ role in taking one of Australian football’s most significant cultural occasions to Boorloo/Perth in 2027.
Announced on Wednesday, Essendon and Richmond will join Tourism Western Australia and the AFL in a new two-year partnership to establish Dreamtime at Maali, with the inaugural match to be hosted by the Bombers on Sunday, July 4, during NAIDOC Week.
The occasion will create a new platform to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, communities and their contribution to Australian football, building on the legacy of the Dreamtime game.
A driving force behind the establishment of the Dreamtime game during his time as Essendon coach, Sheedy believes the Perth event is an important opportunity to continue its educational and cultural impact.
A four-time premiership coach with the Bombers, Sheedy said football had a unique ability to bring people together and create greater understanding.
“I think it's great because it's a great educational tool about the Aboriginal people's history of Australia, and this has been a great learning procedure through football and through the AFL,” Sheedy said on SEN.
“I think it's a great idea and a great option, and I think both clubs should be congratulated. I think it's so important that we keep working at these sort of games.”
For Essendon, Dreamtime at Maali represents the next chapter in a tradition built on connection, taking the spirit of the Dreamtime game to Western Australia and a new generation of fans.
