WITH spectacular marks, physics-defying goals, special celebrations and some quirky events along the way, Sir Doug Nicholls Round has had it all.
The 2025 edition will mark the 10th year of the current iteration of the round, with an Indigenous Round celebrated prior to 2016.
The celebration has occurred over two rounds since 2019 (with a one-week only edition in the COVID-affected 2020), and Indigenous Round has been recognised since 2007.
With 135 matches having been played in Sir Doug Nicholls Round since 2016, we take a look back at some of the best and most noteworthy events over that period.
Dreamtime at the 'G
Now in its 21st year, Dreamtime at the 'G – an annual match between Essendon and Richmond – is the showpiece of SDNR. The 2020 edition took place in Darwin and is remembered as one of the most atmospheric games, while 2021 was played in Perth as COVID lockdowns hit Melbourne. Silky Tiger Shane Edwards became the first Indigenous man to win the Yiooken Award for best afield in 2018, Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti became seemingly the only man to take down Dustin Martin with a searing run-down tackle and Shai Bolton kicked a spinning, winning sealer in 2021. After weeks of speculation, Martin wound back the clock last year with a classic snap, while the 2023 match turned out to be Damien Hardwick's last in charge of the Tigers, Sam Durham kicking the winner in the last seven seconds.
The pre-match celebrations and ceremonies have always been a highlight, with Richmond's eight Indigenous players in 2022 standing proud in the middle of their teammates a highlight, while Sydney Stack was the first player to feature in a war cry.
A moment for reflection
The 2017 SDNR coincided with the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum, which ensured Indigenous Australians were recognised in the census and that federal laws could be made for them.
Led by Lance Franklin, a number of players changed their numbers for the round. The superstar Swan was joined by fellow Indigenous players Cedric Cox, Daniel Wells, Steven May, Zac Williams, Shaun Burgoyne and Shane Edwards in wearing No.67. Senior leaders and non-Indigenous men Dayne Beams, Tom Lynch and Dane Rampe wore No.50.
Small forwards light it up
The best small forwards in the game have gone to new heights during SDNR. Eddie Betts kicked the 2016 Goal of the Year at Adelaide Oval, one of five he booted against Greater Western Sydney. Back in Carlton colours in 2021, he duly saluted from the opposite pocket with another gem. Walyalup favourite Michael 'Sonny' Walters kicked the winning point/goal in both SDNR weeks in 2019, against Brisbane and Collingwood. Izak Rankine has his own specific SDNR highlight reel, such have been his efforts over the years, including two goals in a minute in 2021, and separate GOTY contenders in 2023 and 2024. Liam Ryan soared high in 2021, also kicking four goals in an undermanned forward line, while Gold Coast's Joel Jeffrey kicked a goal over his head in 2022, one of his four majors for the game.
Goals aplenty
Narrm's Jeff Garlett had a night out against Gold Coast in Alice Springs in 2017, his fourth of five goals kicked virtually at a right angle. A rare Sam Wright major was kicked backwards while lying on the ground in 2018, while Chris Mayne managed a scissor-soccer special the following year. Jack Billings secured his stunning major while virtually on the goal line, a bending snap on the tightest of angles, and Andy Brayshaw gathered and kicked truly from the boundary in 2021. Paul Curtis secured his GOTY nomination with two shrugs, a tackle and a major in 2023, while Kozzy Pickett had the ball on a string with a dribbler in the same year. Last year's SDNR was full of highlights, including Harley Reid's GOTY winner, burning off Christian Petracca, and Tom Papley's karate kick on the outside of his boot.
Miraculous marks
There's been plenty of Mark of the Year contenders taken in SDNR, while Liam Ryan's 2019 winner over Max Gawn – in Waalitj Marawar's Indigenous jumper – came just a week before the official round that season. Ash Johnson's effort against Carlton last year was just pipped at the MOTY post, as was Charlie Spargo's 2022 leap against Walyalup. Jeremy Howe completed a trademark jump in 2022, as did noted high-flyer Lincoln McCarthy the year prior. Teammate Callum Ah Chee showed his hops last year, sitting on Tiger Nathan Broad's shoulders, while Harry Himmelberg suffered a similar fate from Jeremy McGovern in 2020.
Special celebrations
A regular highlight of SDNR are the special goal celebrations by Indigenous players, often linking back to a cultural dance. Bradley Hill (2016), Lewis Jetta (2017), Matthew Parker (2019), Bobby Hill (2022), Kozzy Pickett (2023), Michael Walters (2023) and Lloyd Johnston's backflip in 2024 have all given delight to fellow players and fans alike. Adam Goodes was famously one of the first players to do so, but it occurred prior to the introduction of SDNR.
Last-gasp victories
Few games have been decided as close to the siren as between Hawthorn and Yartapuulti last year, the Power storming home with six late majors and Darcy Byrne-Jones soccering home the winner with two seconds on the clock. Jack Riewoldt booted three late goals and took an incredible speccy to secure a win against Kuwarna in 2021, while GWS had its own late heroics against Geelong, Leek Aleer taking a series of game-saving marks last year. Euro-Yroke put the foot down in the final quarter of its 2016 match against Walyalup, piling on eight goals to none to win by 34, while Jordan De Goey broke Kuwarna's hearts last year with a match-winning goal.
Head scratchers and matches of note
Separate from the SDNR celebrations, there's been an odd and unusual collection of football events which have happened to coincide with the Indigenous recognition. A two-man-down Carlton beat Geelong for the first time in 15 attempts at Marvel Stadium in 2016. Narrm kicked 14 of the last 18 to finally secure its first win in Alice Springs in 2017 and GWS also recording its first ever victory over Waalitj Marawar that same year. A 25-year-old Brody Mihocek booted four goals on debut in 2018, while Brad Scott's last game in charge of North Melbourne came in 2019. Umpire 'Razor' Ray Chamberlain was hit by a football, the AFL went to China in 2019, and Walyalup ended Narrm's 17-game winning streak in 2022 with a 63-point turnaround at the MCG. Chad Warner escaped an after-the-siren 50m penalty after he booted the ball into the crowd against Richmond, a match that saw Franklin kick five. North Melbourne blew the opportunity to land a rare win in 2023 off the back of an interchange infringement, while a draw between Collingwood and Walyalup last year created headlines after a rare free kick was paid for not giving the ball back to the umpire.
