The Gold Coast SUNS will proudly don an exclusive Darwin/Larrakia Guernsey across Rounds 9 and 10 in the Top End.
Set to host St Kilda on Saturday May 9, before taking on Port Adelaide under Friday night lights in Sir Doug Nicholls Round, the SUNS will be gunning for 10 straight wins at its Northern Territory fortress TIO Stadium.
Indigenous All Star and 2025 All Australian squad member Ben Long is one of four SUNS with ties to the Territory including Joel Jeffrey, Daniel Rioli and Jy Farrar, and is looking forward to delivering a hot week of footy back home.
“The chance to play in Darwin is always special. As soon as the fixture comes out, it’s two games that get circled on the calendar each season,” Long said.
“TIO Stadium is a special place for the boys from the Northern Territory, with plenty of great memories both for the SUNS and growing up as young footballers. It's awesome that the stadium features as the highlight of our Darwin/Larrakia guernsey.
“I love the design and I can’t wait to get the chance to wear it in front of family and friends back in Darwin over the next fortnight.”
Having designed previous editions of the Darwin/Larrakia and Indigenous guernseys, Larrakia artist Trent Lee shared what it meant to collaborate with the Gold Coast SUNS again.
“It’s always a proud moment to work with the Gold Coast SUNS,” Lee said.
“I’m always a little bit lost for words, coming from such a small place and being able to work with an AFL team and be apart of their journey.
“It doesn’t really hit you until all the players run out on the field and especially seeing all the fella’s from up this way run out and representing (Larrakia) is amazing. It definitely gives you that added pride and makes it feel that extra bit more special.”
Elements of Lee’s design of the 2026 SUNS Darwin/Larrakia guernsey mirror the rich artwork connected to Larrakia culture installed across the seats of TIO Stadium.
The concentric circles on top represent two things; the sky and the different places the Gold Coast SUNS players, staff and supporters have come from to be apart of the team, with them stretching out over the whole guernsey showing their growth as a team.
The under lying concentric circles symbolise the different fields and lands the SUNS play on and the different connections the players and staff have to each community and homelands.
The pattern in the background symbolises crocodile skin in light of the totem of the Larrakia people, the saltwater crocodile. The crocodile is stealthy, ferocious and very deadly with their ability to adapt to different environments much like the SUNS when they play.
Don’t miss out! Secure the special edition SUNS Darwin/Larrakia Guernsey from the SUNS shop. https://shop.goldcoastfc.com.au/
