Former Richmond forward Phil Egan looks at the Tiger's new Dreamtime guernsey to celebrate indigenous culture and he gets a lump in his throat.

Egan says it has been rewarding to see how the annual Dreamtime clash at the MCG between Richmond and Essendon has grown from humble origins in 2006.

A crowd of over 80,000 is expected on Saturday night.

"I remember sitting at a press conference and doing the same thing seven years ago with Michael (Long) and myself and there were probably three pressmen there and it has grown and developed," Egan said on Wednesday.

Indigenous players represent 11 per cent of AFL lists and they include some of the game's superstars like Sydney's dual Brownlow Medallist Adam Goodes.

However Egan is disappointed more Victorian indigenous products like Goodes, who came from North Ballarat Rebels, aren't making their way onto AFL lists.

Egan fronted a press conference at Punt Road to promote the Dreamtime game and proudly posed with the Tigers jumper.

The yellow sash will feature a design by Melbourne indigenous artist Jirra Lulla Harvey.

"It has really taken my breath away," Egan said.

"To change the iconic strip to have such significance demonstrates to me as a blackfella the commitment this club has to Aboriginal culture and what we're trying to do and achieve."

However Egan is concerned that while Victorian clubs are keen to seek indigenous talent in the Northern Territory, they are failing to make use of what's on their doorstep.

He says indigenous players represent only one or two per cent of playing lists in the Victorian TAC Cup under-18 competition.

"Unfortunately too many of the players who are noted or taken at high-draft picks come from the Northern Territory, which is great, but the talent in Victoria is just as thick," Egan said.

"A lot of our communities need to integrate more in the mainstream football community."

Egan said up to 40 per cent of the population in communities such as Robinvale, Echuca and Morwell were indigenous, but these numbers weren't being reflected in TAC Cup Under-18 teams.

AFL Victoria football operations manager John Hook said the TAC Cup saw it as a major goal to boost its indigenous content.

"We need to make sure these kids are exposed to these pathways and opportunities," Hook told AAP.

Asked to nominate Victorian indigenous AFL stars through the draft system, Hook pointed to Goodes and West Coast premiership player David Wirrpanda.

"There hasn't been enough, that's the bottom line," Hook said.

"There is an untapped market there."

Egan said Saturday night's game would be an emotional time as he joined former team-mates in remembering Richmond's 1982 Norm Smith Medallist Maurice Rioli, who died in December 2010.

Rioli's brothers John and Cyril Rioli II will toss the coin.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP