The Sydney Swans have confirmed they will host an inaugural China-themed match at the SCG this month, intended to celebrate Chinese traditions and promote Australian Rules inclusivity among Chinese-Australian people.
The anticipated fixture, set for Sydney's Round 15 meeting with the West Coast Eagles, is slated to be attended by numerous high-ranking Chinese and Australian government and business figures, with a traditional dragon dance to be performed pre-game as part of the day's festivities.
Swans chairman Andrew Pridham discussed the club's aim of exhibiting the game to people of Chinese heritage, citing the demographic's growing Sydney contingent.
"So it's a significant part of the population," Pridham told The Sydney Morning Herald.
"We already have very strong following from Chinese origin people, which you'll see in the crowd.
"We want to do everything we can to showcase the game to as many Chinese heritage people as we can and welcome them to the club, and give them the opportunity to be part of the Australian Indigenous game."
As recently as Thursday evening's Sydney-St Kilda game, the Swans' home kit incorporated colours of the rainbow as part of their annual Pride Game celebrations that seek to raise awareness of and support LGBTQIA+ individuals.
"Having relevantly themed games that support sections of the community are core to our community engagement strategy," Pridham continued.
"This is the first one. As always happens with these things, they gain momentum over time. As a club, we'll be keen to grow and make it a very identifiable game for us."
The AFL staged three home-and-away fixtures in Shanghai between 2017-19 in an elaborate attempt to lure international interest to the sport, however, the COVID-19 pandemic halted any of that progress, with the 2020 edition of the China game consequently scrapped, with no games played there since.
Former long-tenured Swans chairman Richard Colless, considered by many as one of the integral figures involved in bringing this latest initiative to a head, detailed the thought process behind creating a themed game to honour Chinese people in Australia.
"It started because a few people thought we should do something to say Chinese are a fundamental part of Australian community and Australian culture," Colless said.
"The challenge was to find something that was quintessentially Australia and see if there was a Chinese connection. Lo and behold, Australian football is the closest thing we've got.
"I think it's going to lay a platform which will get a fair degree of coverage in different ways through the Chinese Australian communities โ and it's up to the AFL and Swans to take advantage of it.
"From little acorns, big oak trees grow."
The Swans' Round 15 bout with the Eagles is scheduled for 4:35pm (AEST) on Saturday, June 24, with a considerable crowd attendance expected.