Adelaide forward Danielle Ponter hopes the AFLW’s celebration of Indigenous Round will encourage more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to take up football.

The Crows will mark the beginning of Season Seven’s Indigenous Round by wearing their Indigenous guernsey in the clash with North Melbourne on Saturday.

It is the same design Club's AFL and SANFL teams have worn in 2022, highlighting the coming together of the men’s and women’s teams on their reconciliation journey. 

Speaking at the AFLW Season Seven Indigenous Round Launch on Monday, Ponter said she was proud to be a role model for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women eyeing off a footy career.

“It’s an exciting time at the moment with four new teams and 120 new players that have entered the competition,” Ponter said.

“There’s more opportunities now for young, Indigenous girls to get on (AFLW) lists, share their culture and show the AFL community what they have.

“I’m excited to see all that talent coming through... I’m always here to help them.

Ponter’s grandfather is from the Anmatyerre tribe in the Ti Tree region north of Alice Springs, and her grandmother from the Maranunggu tribe in the Daly River region.

The two-time Premiership star said she was always honoured to represent her culture and Indigenous Round was a special time for her.

“It means a whole lot,” Ponter said.

“It’s great we get to celebrate it once every season but to have two seasons in the one year, it’s great we get to celebrate it twice.

“It’s very exciting and it’s something I’m very proud to be a part of.

“I’m very proud to be able to run out with these girls and to be able to share and represent my culture and my people on a national stage.”

Eastern Arrernte man Pat Caruso designed this year’s guernsey, which acknowledges the impact many members of the Crows family have left on the Club since 1991.

“I love the design, I think it represents the Club really well,” Ponter said.

“The main message out of it is we’ve had this one Club mentality which has been set around the Club for some time now.

“These represent that really well with both the men and females coming together and sharing that one space and being equal.

“It’s a message we’ll continue to share throughout our Club for many years.”

Adelaide takes on North Melbourne at Unley Oval on Saturday at 12.10pm.

The AFLW Indigenous Round acknowledges the significant contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Australian football and the broader community.