Kuwarna is proud to unveil its 2025 First Nations guernsey designed by former player and Wirangu man Graham Johncock and Wirangu artist Aunty Christine Tschuna.
Johncock was a fan favourite in his 227-game career from 2002 to 2013, during which he twice finished third in the Malcolm Blight Medal, was the Club’s leading goal kicker in 2003 and became a Life Member in 2011.
The guernsey design tells his story from growing up on the far west coast of South Australia to playing juniors at Mallee Park and SANFL at Port Magpies before being drafted by Kuwarna with Pick No.67 in the 2000 National Draft, and eventually returning to Mallee Park at the end of his AFL career.
Family is at the centre of his design with key features including:
- A large Crow representing Johncock’s late mother.
- Soaring Crows representing his father and grandmother.
- Circular male and female symbols representing Johncock’s family.
- Footprints showing his journey to the Club.
- Food sources representing regions of the far west coast including Quandong and wolga (Koonibba), blue swimmer crab (Ceduna), shellfish (the whole west coast coastline), butterfish (Sheringa beach) and tuna (Port Lincoln).
- Small circles/dots representing the Kuwarna family and their communities throughout South Australia.
- Symbols representing the Club’s past and present Indigenous players.
Johncock said the process to design the guernsey began mid-way through last year and he was very proud of the finished product.
“I’m very happy and very pleased with the way it’s come up, and I hope all of our supporters and players enjoy it,” he said.
“When it came to designing the guernsey, I have a couple of paintings in my home by Aunty Christine Tschuna, so she was an artist I had in mind and she’s a Crows supporter as well, so I’m very grateful because I love her artwork and all the detail she puts into it.”
The hard-running defender/forward, who was renowned for his pressure and tackling, said it was important for him to have a strong family focus in the design.
“The big Crow in the middle of the guernsey represents my biggest supporter, who was always there, and if it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have made it to the AFL – and that represents my mum,” Johncock said.
“She is no longer with us, but I wanted to make a big focus on her because of the support that she put in place to enable me to reach my goal.
“A couple of little Crows on the shoulder, one represents my dad always in the background pushing me, making sure I was doing everything right, and the sacrifices that both he and mum made to give us the best opportunities they could.
“The other one represents my grandmother Evelyn, who was always proud of me. I didn’t get to meet my grandparents on my mum’s side, unfortunately they passed a bit young, but these Crows represent each of the significant people in my life during my time at the Crows.”
Koonibba-based Aunty Christine Tschuna said she was excited about seeing Kuwarna’s teams play in the guernsey this year.
“Graham rang me and said he had a proposition for me, he said ‘I want you to paint the Crows guernsey about my family’s story’, and I said ‘I don’t think I could do it’,” she said.
“But I thought about it for a while and said ‘yes’, Graham told me his story and I put it on paper first, before the canvas.
“I’m surprised at how it’s turned out, I really like it, I can’t wait to see the boys and the girls run out wearing the guernsey that I painted with Graham’s story.”
The guernsey will be worn by Kuwarna’s three teams (AFL, AFLW and SANFL) this season, including in the home Sir Doug Nicholls Round game against West Coast in Round 11.
Kuwarna’s home First Nations guernsey and product range will be available at the Crows Shop online at shop.afc.com.au; in store at West Lakes or at Adelaide Oval on home match days. The red clash guernsey to be worn against Collingwood this weekend will be available online.