Essendon Football Club won the Marn Grook trophy for the first time on Saturday night against the Swans at Stadium Australia. Bomber coach Kevin Sheedy said it was a fitting reward for the club to win the inaugural trophy for the first time. “It is great for our club because I think we have been a club around Australia who has stood up and said we are going to kick a few doors down. It is a great bridge building exercise for football and all football codes to try and build giving opportunities to our own Australian native people. I think it is just fantastic,” Sheedy said.

“The trophy will go into our Hall of Fame with pride and it is the first ever. I think it is a reward for the club's ambition and bridge building exercise. When I played in the VFL many, many moons ago - there were three aboriginal players that played. Now 10% of players on the AFL list are aboriginal players and I think it is just a marvelous growth in our game. Not only that, the more we can keep inspiring young players, the better we will all be off to see the marvelous talents we have got. That will inspire other young kids - aboriginal or not - to really move in and play our great game,” Sheedy said. Essendon supporters can see the Marn Grook trophy on display in the Essendon Football Hall of Fame.

Marn Grook is the name given to a corroboree played by the Djab wurrung and Jardwadjali clans in Victoria’s western district which was the inspiration for Australian rules football.