The list of Indigenous Wallabies is highly distinguished but, spread across 130 years, shamefully brief: Cec Ramalli, Lloyd McDermott, Mark Ella, Glen Ella, Gary Ella, Lloyd Walker, Jim Williams, Andrew Walker, Wendell Sailor, Timana Tahu, Saia Faingaa, Anthony Faingaa, Matt Hodgson and Kurtley Beale.
Glen Ella, Gary Ella and Mark Ella in 1975.Credit: Kevin John Berry/Fairfax Media
Pietsch hopes he can help provide a renewed picture of possibility to Indigenous kids.
“It’s probably the main drive, I really want to create change within the sport in that area and I feel like myself, KB (Beale) and (NSW wing) Tristan Riley coming through as well, we’ve got a strong connection to culture,” he said.
“We can really drive that and hopefully change a fair bit of what’s gone on in the past and create more than just 15 Wallabies ... create 30, whatever it is. It drives us.”
Part of that inspiration comes from a Pietsch talent that extends beyond the rugby field.
Three years ago, he began spending more time developing his skills as an Indigenous artist, and he now runs a business, Wulwaay Art.
Dylan Pietsch’s impact and power caught the eye of Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt, even as the Waratahs struggled.Credit: Getty
Pietsch paints commissioned works, and has also created boots and jerseys with Indigenous designs for several teams, including the Waratahs, the Junior Wallabies and Clovelly Eagles.
The ultimate dream would be to contribute to an Indigenous design Wallabies jersey, and then wear it.
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“I would absolutely love to - the dream is to be able to get the Wallabies jersey first and then hopefully design a jersey in the future,” Pietsch said. “Hopefully, it becomes a thing, you know, you get more different designs, different artists coming in and creating different jerseys and really connecting back to the community.”
Pietsch says he is lucky to count the Ella brothers not just as mentors and inspirations, but as friends.
“I know them really well, so it’s cool to talk through their stories and their struggles that they went through and get a lot of perspectives,” he said.
“When I do my designs and stuff ... they never got to play an Indigenous jersey and they never got to do anything like that, they didn’t really get recognised. So for them to create that for me to be able to have that is really cool.”