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What’s in a name: NRC team names and logos dissected
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
25th August, 2014
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Who are you supporting in the NRC?
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
25th August, 2014
15
1017 Reads

One of the most important things for a fan of a new competition is to be able to relate to their team’s name and logo.

This guide is designed to explain some of the concepts behind the NRC team names so that you can provide an educated level of support.

Brisbane City
This is a very sexy, upmarket name which fits nicely alongside its global peers. Let’s put it in some context: Manchester United, Racing Metro 92, Red Bull Racing, Brisbane City.

It works, and no pointless nickname either. Not a bear, bull, bronco, bullet, bimbo or boofhead in sight.

Queensland Country
From Euro uber-chic to dinky-di, our next team is about as Australian as you can get. You can almost taste Bjelke-Johs salted peanuts, smell the coal seam gas and watch those farms being sold to overseas investors.

I know the stereotype is that country people from Queensland are a bit insular, but why no nickname? You need to travel more.

North Harbour Rays
The northern shores of the harbour city is the ticking heart of Australian rugby, where every second thoroughfare is called Ruck Road or Scrum Street. Delivery boys throw their newspapers to spontaneously formed lineouts. Your mate has no ID? Put him in the middle of a rolling maul and avoid the bouncers that way. Leather elbow patches and tweed are in the blood.

And what about the nickname ‘Rays’? Giving a nod to a brand of designer sunglasses was a stroke of genius and sums up the area to a nicety.

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Sydney Stars
The next team on the list is pitched at privileged private school types to the rough-and-tumble working class of Balmain (I may not be quite up to date in my demographics).

In keeping with the mish-mahs, ying-yang concept they have gone for the name Sydney Stars, and who doesn’t literally love a little light alliteration?

NSW Country Eagles
This is another beautiful, true-blue name conjuring up images of blue-singletted shearers and farmers wanting a wife, but who thought of Eagles as a nickname? Has the world gone mad? Does tradition count for nothing? Surely they should be called the Cockatoos.

Greater Sydney Rams
Originally known as the Great Sydney Rams, the powers that be told the marketing department to come up with something stronger and sharper to really resonate with the masses from Sydney’s west, south, north or whoever it is this franchise is trying to represent.

Twenty-four hours later they came back with Greater Sydney Rams.

University of Canberra Vikings
This requires some analysis. Now a Raider is a crazed half-drunk bandit, pillaging and looting up and down the coast. Vikings are a Nordic version. That is, a Raider but with a great social welfare system. And these Vikings are university educated.

So you see the whole thing is an ever-so-slight dig at their league playing cousins the Canberra Raiders.

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Melbourne Rising
A mate of mine (not me, a mate) had been having a few difficulties performing marital duties, and was required by his missus to front up to his local GP.

Now the doc never minced words when it came to spleens, livers or the like, but when it came to the effects of the little blue pills he was prescribing he became a bit tongue-tied. Among the euphemisms that he used, the one that I particularly remember was “rising to the occasion”.

I am immediately reminded of my mate’s conversation when I read Melbourne Rising. Whatever way I look at it I find this name ever so slightly erotic.

Perth Spirit
The journey across the Nullarbor allows plenty of time for a cold shower. Here we find the spiritual heirs to the state’s Super franchise, channelling the same supernatural powers from the Star Wars movies that provided the Western “Force be with you” name.

So the journey comes to an end. With the above information and decked out in your newly acquired club merchandise you can be confident that if called on by your club to lend some support, you too can rise to the occasion.

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