WHILE he won’t be out there this weekend, the significance of Sir Doug Nicholls Round isn’t lost on Jarrod Pickett and his family.

And it’s an extensive family to say the least.

Speaking on this week’s edition of the Two Tones, Pickett spoke of his family’s journey and history: a family which extends far beyond just dual premiership player and Norm Smith Medallist, Byron.

In fact, Pickett outlined his connection to the likes of Maurice Rioli, Leon Davis (“the player I catch up most with”) and Nicky Winmar, among many others.

“I’ve got pretty good blood connections, I guess… I like to brag about it,” Pickett said with a grin.

“I’ve got massive connections to those guys and it’s something I’m really proud of.”

One of five Indigenous players on Carlton’s AFL list in 2019, Pickett was unfortunately sidelined for the entire season after sustaining a torn patella tendon in the final training session of 2018.

The 22-year-old said the round as a whole was a memorable one for all involved.

“It’s a really important round for Indigenous people, for everyone. It gives the players an opportunity to represent their families, their culture — there are so many different Indigenous cultures in Australia,” he said.

“It’s a really good opportunity for the boys to go out and showcase their talents, to impress their home towns and families and tribes.”

The last five months have marked the beginning of a long way back for Pickett, who enjoyed his first run at Ikon Park on Tuesday morning since his injury.

Unable to add to his career tally of 17 games, Pickett said he viewed playing football as an ability to represent his family and add to its legacy.

“Ever since Byron, there hasn’t been another Pickett. Since Leon, there hasn’t been another Davis,” he said.

“I’d like to say I take that on and take pride in that. It is a big opportunity to represent your family and you want to do that proudly.

“You don’t want to ruin that opportunity and have the family name reflect badly on yourself. You want to be really proud of it.”