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This post is directed at Queensland rugby union fans, especially those with a long affiliation and memory of Queensland rugby.
The Queensland state/provincial rugby team is known as the ‘Reds’, and has been known as such since 1996. But what they were known as before then is in much dispute, at least to me.
One Queensland Roarer told me some months ago that Queensland has been known as the ‘Reds’ for a very long time. He went even further, saying only the league team is known as the ‘Maroons’ and wears maroon, while the union team wears red.
Naturally, I found this very, very UN-believable.
Now this is another problem I have – the colour of the jersey. When I first started following sport, every Queensland rep team wore maroon, and a very definite maroon.
And that includes the union team.
I saw my first state game live in 1972, and Queensland most definitely wore maroon jerseys that day. Very definitely maroon jerseys.
I’m also sure that during the hey-day of the Queensland rugby team in the late 70s-early 80s, the Ballymore crowd would chant “Maroon! Maroon! Maroon!”
But has anyone else noticed the colour gradually changing to a dark red over the past ten or more years?
A similar thing happened with the Wallabies jersey in the 1990s, when it changed from gold to a definite pale orange.
Now, confusing the issue for me are two wonderful books I have in my possession at home.
The first was written by Bret Harris (now a rugby reporter for The Australian) in 1983, titled The Marauding Maroons. This book basically covered the rise of Queensland rugby from 1973-82.
The second book was written by a very experienced journalist/author Ian Diemhe in 2002, titled Red! Red! Red! This book covered the entire history of Queensland rugby, from its early days in the 1870-80s.
Now, the title of Diemhe’s book raises a provocative thought – did he call his book Red! Red! Red! out of respect for the nickname of the current team, or does this nickname live way back in the past?
Or was the Queensland rugby known as the ‘Maroons’ until 1996, when the marketeers decided to change the nickname to the ‘Reds’?
I would particularly like to hear from old-time Queensland rugby fans, who I suspect would definitely know the answer, or anyone else with a historical knowledge of Queensland rugby.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.