Richmond and Essendon unite for special ceremony ahead of AFL clash at Dreamtime at ‘G: ‘It’s the best pre-match entertainment I’ve ever seen’
Richmond and Essendon First Nations players gathered for the Dreamtime Dance ahead of their game at the MCG.
The AFL rivals lined up face to face but quickly united when they formed a semi-circle, before seven native players stepped forward.
Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Marlion Pickett, Alwyn Davey Jr, Shai Bolton, Rhyan Mansell and Maurice Rioli Jr joined arms at the end of the ceremony.
“What a show, Dreamtime at the ‘G gets better every year,” said Luke Darcy on Channel 7.
Mansell then scored the first goal of the game before Davey Jr hit back for the Bombers.
Channel 7 commentator Chris Johnson was also blown away by the ceremony, with his family involved throughout.
‘It was great. Not only did I have my son (Lachy) there, but I had a lot of my Shake Spear family there,’ the three-time Brisbane Lions winner said.
“I was very represented in these two dance groups. It was fantastic.’
Four-time premiership winner Shaun Burgoyne said: ‘I watched Jobe (Watson) and said ‘how good it is, the lights, the music, the construction, the dancing.
“It’s the best pre-game entertainment I’ve seen.”
