Essendon and Richmond have moved to lock in the annual Dreamtime at the G game for at least the next decade.

The Dreamtime at the ‘G fixture – which was first played in 2005 - is the flagship event of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

Four of the past five Dreamtime at the G games have attracted a crowd of in excess of 80,000, with the record attendance of 84,234 in 2013.

The clubs have established a 10-year agreement with the centrepiece being a continued commitment to grow the game through financial investment, and a program of activities staged during a week-long build up to the match. Gate sharing across the Dreamtime fixture – and any return fixture – is also included to underpin the joint commitment.

“The solidifying of this marquee match for the next decade provides us a great opportunity to further strengthen our relationship with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," Essendon CEO Xavier Campbell said.

“Dreamtime at the ‘G offers so many unique opportunities but it also brings a sense of responsibility to reconciliation and as we begin this new long term commitment, we are also looking forward to strengthening our existing partnerships with The Long Walk and the Tiwi Islands.”

Both Clubs run substantial programming in support of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community – Richmond through its Korin Gamdji Institute and Essendon through its partnership with The Long Walk.



“This game has become a wonderful platform to celebrate the enormous contribution of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the game of Australian Rules Football,” Richmond CEO Brendon Gale said.



“It has also served as an opportunity to engage a broad audience in the spirit of reconciliation and that must always be a central ingredient of the occasion.



“In conjunction with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, both Clubs have worked hard to establish and grow this game. It is now a key event on the AFL calendar and we wanted to reaffirm our commitment long-term.



“We are proud of what this game has become and this agreement with Essendon is an important commitment to the long-term growth of this game and all that it stands for.”