Footy world reacts to new-look Welcome to Country ceremony as AFL begins Indigenous Round in Darwin

Darwin has kicked off this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls round with a bang, launching the annual round with a new look Welcome to Country performance.

For the 18th year in a row, the AFL has held a special round to celebrate Indigenous people, with the match weekend named nine years ago after Nicholls, the former VFL player from the 1930s who later became a minister and Aboriginal leader.

Traditionally, the AFL’s 18 teams wear jerseys designed by Indigenous people and observe a Welcome to Country ceremony.

And on Thursday, ahead of Geelong’s match against Gold Coast, a special ceremony was performed, with Liam Stansfield and Edwin Fejo starting the ceremony before joining the Youth Mill Performing Arts Company for a song.

A choir, a didgeridoo player and a string quartet also took part in a rendition of a song called Mergence.

Footy fans took to social media to share their thoughts on the ceremony, with mixed reactions.

Some of the positive comments included messages like ‘how damn good was that’, ‘that’s quality’ and ‘loved it’.

Other messages were not as effusive with praise.

“What a cringe,” said one fan.

Another said: ‘What nonsense. Make it stop.”

A third fan joked: ‘Is this our Eurovision act….’

Meanwhile, on the field, a sparkling Gold Coast defeated an under-strength Geelong by 64 points to put the AFL world on notice and condemn the Cats to their third successive defeat.

A breath-taking second quarter, including six unanswered goals, got the Suns on their way before they went to work for a 26.8.164 to 15.10.100 win at Darwin’s TIO Stadium.

The sublime Jack Lukosius shone with five majors and five goal assists and he received good support from the likes of Bailey Humphrey (five goals), Ben King (four) and Sam Day (three).

Gold Coast’s highest ever score takes them to sixth on the ladder, while second-placed Geelong is in danger of slipping out of the top four.

Geelong was without Jeremy Cameron (concussion), Patrick Dangerfield (hamstring) and rested trio Tom Hawkins, Mitch Duncan and Rhys Stanley.

Sam De Koning (hamstring injury) dropped out late and was replaced by veteran Zach Tuohy.

Gold Coast rested Jarrod Witts, Jed Walter, Nick Holman and Jake Rogers.

But after a five-day break in their most impressive showing under Damien Hardwick, Gold Coast knocked Geelong off center as they chased a first-ever finals place.

Noah Anderson (41 disposals and two goals), Matt Rowell (35 disposals), Touk Miller (32 and eight touches) and Sam Flanders (37 touches) were dominant around the ball.

Geelong’s Tyson Stengle (three goals), Max Holmes (32 disposals), Ollie Dempsey (25 touches) and Gryan Myers (29 touches, two goals) fought hard on a dirty night.

The Suns generally coped better with the slippery conditions and although they enjoyed a favorable number of free kicks (25-14), they dominated on the ground.

Lukosius got the Suns’ evening off to a perfect start when he intercepted a Toby Conway kick and set up an open goal, the first of three before the quarter.

The opening quarter was a fickle affair with the Cats claiming a three-point lead at the first change.

The Suns broke away in the second term and took a 33-point lead at the key change.

Gold Coast’s evening was soured when young defender Mac Andrew suffered a lower leg injury in a collision with teammate Ben Ainsworth in the second quarter.

He was substituted from the match at half-time for Alex Davies, with struggling Cats veteran Cam Guthrie making way for Jhye Clark in the third quarter.

The Suns didn’t stop, scoring eight goals to Geelong’s goal in the third term, extending their lead to an ominous 66 points at three-quarter time.

Geelong remained somewhat steady in the early goings of the final team, but it was no consolation as the Suns savored their win.