The NSW Swifts are proud to unveil the Club’s 2026 First Nations Dress, a powerful new design created by long-time collaborator Rheanna Lotter.
Lotter, a proud Yuin woman, continues her strong creative and cultural partnership with the Swifts, bringing storytelling, connection and meaning to life through her artwork.
Having worked with the Club across previous First Nations initiatives, her designs have become a significant part of how the Swifts honour and celebrate First Nations culture within netball.
This year’s design, entitled “Belonging” is a deeply symbolic reflection on connection, identity and the collective strength of community.
The artwork centres on the players themselves, each surrounded by their own story; their families, communities, and cultures.
These elements represent the unseen support systems that guide and uplift them, reinforcing a powerful truth: no player stands alone. Every time they step onto the court, they carry generations of strength with them.
Gathering circles woven throughout the design reflect moments of unity and shared purpose. They symbolise not only the bond between teammates, but also the broader NSW Swifts community, fans, partners, and supporters, all connected as part of something greater, all moving forward together.
Flowing pathways across the artwork represent the journeys taken to reach the elite level. Some are straight, others layered or complex, capturing the diverse experiences and challenges each player has faced. These pathways honour the past while carrying strength into the future.
Above, the stars shine as guides. For Aboriginal people, the stars have always been a source of knowledge, navigation, and connection. In this piece, they represent direction and aspiration, a reminder that these players are not only following paths, but creating them. They are helping to elevate women’s sport, to strengthen voices, and to inspire the next generation to see what is possible.
The colour palette carries its own meaning. Bold red represents the strength, passion, and identity of the Swifts today, powerful, proud and united. Yellow is woven within the design to honour the Club’s heritage, grounding the present team in its history. Together, these colours tell a story of respect, for those who came before and belief in what is still to come.
Every detail, every mark, every layer represents diversity, different stories, backgrounds, and experiences coming together as one. It is a reminder that true strength lies not in sameness but in unity.
The Swifts will proudly wear the Belonging dress during the 2026 First Nations Round against the Queensland Firebirds on Sunday 31 May.
