The intricacies of art and the brutality of football couldn’t be more diametrically opposed. But for Liam Henry there’s no such clash; he’s been tying those two loves of his together since he was 15 years old.

Since his senior years of high school, Henry has been designing Indigenous guernseys. From the ‘dardy’ to the deadly, all are threaded together by Henry’s Noongar/Walmajarri heritage and pride in his culture.

It’s not a stretch to say one of those artworks will eventually make it out of the sketchbook and into a future Saints’ Sir Doug Nicholls Round guernsey to turn a childhood dream into reality, however there’s plenty already in the pipeline before that time comes. 

Tied To Culture is Henry’s Indigenous clothing company which he co-founded in 2018 while still in school. Ross Lyon, then-coach of Fremantle, helped put the ties on the map after wearing a purple number at the Dockers’ season launch the following year, and now — after a brief hiatus — there’s some special plans in the works with a Saints-inspired tie to be released in the next few weeks.

“Art is something I’m pretty passionate about, same with my culture and expressing that through something I love in footy. To bring that all together is definitely something I look forward to,” Henry said.

“That name — Tied to Culture — means a lot because I love to tie everything back to that, my culture.

“That’s definitely the next phase of everything for me personally, and Tied To Culture is something I’m really ambitious to push that through.”

The tie’s imminent reveal coincides with the Saints’ landmark name change to ‘Euro-Yroke’ (pronounced yoo-roe yoo-roe-ck), the Boon Wurrung translation of ‘St Kilda’, for this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

The club’s connection to Euro-Yroke is commemorated in this season’s two guernseys created by proud Wagiman man and Indigenous artist, Nathan Patterson, both of which highlight the story of the Saints’ homeland.

Henry was in Dockers colours when Fremantle adopted the name of ‘Walyalup’ last year, however didn’t play in the historic outings against Narrm and Geelong.

Despite missing Walyalup’s on-field debut, the impact on the club and community that name change had was profound in Henry’s eyes. He expects — and feels — much of the same as he takes his place in the red, yellow and black of Euro-Yroke tonight against his former side.

“Obviously changing the name is pretty big for the club. We want to represent not only us, but all the guys who came before. I think it’s powerful that we get to show our culture through such a big platform,” Henry said.

“I think it just adds an extra meaning and is an extra powerful symbol of what we’re growing into as an industry: we’re embracing Indigenous culture and we’re bringing everyone involved into it.

“We live here as one, so I think to be able to bring that into a name and have a special meaning behind it is definitely powerful.”

Henry was born in the small town of Tammin some 180km from Perth; a considerable way away from his new home in Euro-Yroke.

But the distance hasn’t lessened his connection to his birthplace; a Welcome To Country organised by St Kilda’s Indigenous Player Development Manager Aunty Katrina Amon in his earliest of days out east strengthening the bond between the two lands he is now proud to walk.

“To be able to be welcomed here through a Welcome To Country, I feel a sense of home through that,” Henry said.

“The spirits and ancestors look over you throughout your time away. That was the most important thing for me, being welcomed as soon as I got here.

“I feel a part of home here. You see a lot of similarities through the Aboriginal culture and the way people do things is definitely eye-opening. I love learning about the new culture and I think that’s just enriching my knowledge learning about everything.”

Educate, empower, enrich. That’s what’s at the heart of Sir Doug Nicholls Round. Even something as simple as wearing an Indigenous guernsey or adopting a name change can’t be underestimated for the positive power it harnesses, on and off the field.

“I do think it gives me an extra edge on game day. I think the name will add a special meaning not just to me, but plenty more people behind the scenes,” Henry said.

“These two weeks each year are highlights of my career so far. I think they will be for the rest of it.”