Personal connections to Pride are front and centre of Geelong Cats’ 2024 Pride Guernsey, which will be worn in Saturday’s AFLW Clash with Richmond at the Swinburne Centre.

The guernsey features the colours of the Pride Progress Flag intertwined with the Cats’ iconic blue and white Hoops, as well as a rainbow Geelong Cats logo.

The middle blue hoop features key words, phrases and concepts that players and staff at the Geelong Football Club, as well as the Geelong Cats Pride Supporters Group, contributed as representing what Pride means to them.

Geelong winger Mikayla Bowen, who was involved in the design of the guernsey, said she felt it was important to retain elements of the Pride guernsey the Cats have worn the past two seasons, while also celebrating the significance of Pride to those within the Geelong Football Club.

The designs used in 2022 Season 7 and the 2023 season had a blended rainbow flag wrapping around the body in a symbolic gesture of support, representation, and embrace.

“We identified the fact that we didn’t want to change it too much from last year … not wanting to lose how special that design was, having the rainbow intertwined within the Hoops, and the Hoops intertwined within the rainbow, and having that collective voice and collective message,” Bowen said.

“We’ve also maintained the rainbow Geelong Cats Foundation logo, which – to me as a player and I know for the Club as a whole – is just so special and so meaningful. Last year was the first time that logo has ever been slightly adjusted at all.

“For the Pride community and the LGBTQIA+ community, to know that this is what it means for the Geelong Football Club (and) to be represented within such a rich history is extremely special. It’s something that doesn’t go unnoticed for the playing group. It’s definitely one of my favourite details.”

Bowen said that, as part of the design phase of the guernsey, a survey was sent to all AFLW players, football staff and administration staff, as well as the Geelong Cats Pride Supporter Group, inviting them to contribute words and phrases that represented Pride to them, which were then collated and printed onto a blue hoop on the guernsey.

“It’s a really awesome opportunity to continue the conversation in this space as well,” Bowen said.

“I personally put on there: ‘Ryecroft Road, Darlington’, which was the first place that I came out to my mum, and not everyone would know that. I think for me, as a player, to have that written on the guernsey, it encourages people to ask questions.

“Everyone involved within the design process, it was so inclusive, and we hope that message of inclusivity is further spread throughout the competition when we wear this in Pride Round, so (I’m) extremely excited to wear it.”

Geelong’s 2024 Pride Guernsey was designed by a working group involving players, club staff and the Geelong Cats Pride Supporters Group.

Geelong takes on Richmond this Saturday at the Swinburne Centre in the AFLW Pride Round, with first bounce at 3.05pm.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.