Four hours south of Uluru is one of the last places you’d expect to see the St Kilda Football Club represented, but that has just changed thanks to some new friends of the senior coach.
The Winytjalangu Football Club will be rocking a new kit this season, after receiving last year’s AFL guernseys, socks and boots from the Saints.
The team, based in Ernabella and made up of Anangu people from the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands (APY), have been wearing the Saints tri-colours for years but will now be sporting the real deal when they hit the ground.
Alan Richardson said it was great to have the
“I’m really glad we’ve been able to provide the Winytjalangu Saints with our guernseys,” Richardson said.
“I’m really passionate about assisting our Indigenous communities where I can, so when I was approached I embraced the opportunity.”
Rueben Burton, Winytjalangu Coach and Director of the Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Education Committee was very appreciative of the gift.
Paul Vandenbergh from Port Adelaide Football Club and Paul Newman, an Education Director with the South Australian government, facilitated a hand over of the kit to Rueben Burton in Ernabella.
“I’ve been working together with Rueben for the last four years and have also connected with Alan on a number of occasions, so when I came across Saints team in desperate need of new gear I thought I’d get in contact,” Newman.
“We’re always looking at ways to support our communities and the game, particularly in indigenous communities, so donations like this really mean a lot and make a tangible difference.”
As per tradition, the Anangu people returned the gesture by gifting St Kilda a Pitti, a hand crafted wooden bowl.
