At last the protracted Origin campaign is over for another year and we can move on from the predicted teams, the teams that should have been picked, which side were the bigger grubs and poorer sports to things significantly more important to the NRL.
I’m not talking about player behaviour, their rights to privacy, salary cap or incompetent boards I’m talking about retro round, a throwback to a time where mullets and moustaches ruled, where an elbow was considered a dominant tackle and sports science was the revelation to smoke a cigarette after the game instead of before.
The most exciting part of retro round is the jerseys. NRL history is littered with numerous designs and even more sponsors many of them extinct. Today, we’ll have a look back at some of the good jerseys, the outstanding jerseys, and the outright horrendous jerseys.
The Good
Panthers, 1991 Panthers
Perhaps it was the fact that this was Penrith’s first premiership win over a team that was arguably one of the most dominant teams of their era (the Raiders, who were going for a third-straight premiership). Many a Panthers fan would look at the jersey and feel a great dose of sentimentality.
Sea Eagles, 1996 Sea Eagles Jersey
As a young Sea Eagles fan, the Manly jersey emblazoned with the Pepsi logo epitomised success for this side in the 90s.
Raiders, late 80s/early 90’s
As mentioned above this was one of the most dominant teams in NRL history with their impact still being felt in the coaching ranks today (think Kevin Walters, Mal Meninga, Laurie Daley and Craig Bellamy). Thanks to my late grandfather, I have an original Woodgers Raiders jersey at home. How they played footy in these jerseys defies belief.
Souths and Dragons
Despite having no love or borderline hatred for these teams, depending on their success or failure, respect to them for keeping to tradition, as foundation teams could be forgiven for changing up the design of the jersey at some point. However, with the exception of a few rounds every couple of seasons, the jersey design has largely remained the same.
The Outstanding
Knights, late 80s and early 90s
Maybe it’s the current condition of the Knights, but my friends who have the horrible fate of being a Newcastle supporter love the Henny Penny jersey of the late 80s and early 90s. This design just pipped out the BP sponsor jersey.
Broncos, 1988
The Broncos came on board to a lot of fanfare in the late 80s and, for the first five to six years, kept their jersey largely the same while winning back to back premierships. However, disaster was waiting for them in the 90s.
Eel, 1982 Eels
After such a successful run in the 70s, the 80s were filled with optimism for Eels fans, on for them to suffer an extended premiership drought.
80s jerseys in particular
A common thread here seems to be that the 80s had some great jerseys. Be it the Wormald Sea Eagles, HFC finance Bulldogs or BHP Steel Steelers, you would be hard pressed to find a supporter who disliked their team’s jersey from the 80s.
The Horrendous
Broncos, 1995 and late 90s
As mentioned above, disaster struck for the Broncos in the 90s. I’m not referring to the four premierships they won (three NRL and one Super League) but for some reason they decided to move away from their traditional jersey and go with the 95 one which looks like a rejected design for a golfing shirt. The late 90s away jersey, when they went for an aqua-like colour despite having no connection whatsoever to the original Brisbane colours, also wasn’t great.
Panthers, 2003 away jersey
The Panthers tarnished their 2003 premiership with their away jersey where, like the Broncos, they went with the aqua and purple combo even though there was no connection to their original colours. Thankfully they played the grand final in their home strip.
Storm, late 90s
The yellow away jersey for the Storm is almost as offensive as their systematic salary cap cheating. The definition of winning ugly
Any Super League jersey
The photo said it all. Given the ARL wouldn’t let the teams who defected have jerseys looking anything like their traditional strips, we were served up these absolute disasters.
I know I have just scratched the surface so feel free to take a trip down memory lane and comment on which jersey was your favourite or most hated.
Albo
Guest
Spot on Steve L ! The Balmain jumper is still the best jumper to have graced our footy fields over recent decades. I can still see those young Tigers running out from beside the Ladies Stand at the SCG for the 1969 Grand Final resplendent in their gold & black compared to the dreary myrtle & green of the mighty Souths team they were to leave floundering on that day !
S T Ruggling
Roar Pro
Back in the 80s it appeared that the sponsors had to blend in with the jerseys, towards the 90s as more money came in that changed, is a delicate balance between generating revenue for your club without the team looking like a giant billboard
Robert the Bruce
Guest
I wish the majority of NRL clubs would follow Parramatta's way (said no one ever) and change back their patches (and jerseys tbh) to something more traditional. Its seemed that in the NRL's darkest days post super league allot of the clubs changed their patches to something more "modern", but these days they just look downright distasteful, ie, Raiders, Broncos, Panthers and Tigers. As a Raiders fan i have no idea why they had to change their patch, we won three premierships under that patch, its looks better anyway...The Raiders have the worst merch btw, whats with all the black, since when was black part of our colours? Keep it traditional and simple i say, wish it was retro week every week....
Riley Pettigrew
Roar Guru
Best & Less do them. They look pretty boring without sponsorship strips if I'm honest.
S T Ruggling
Roar Pro
See above for jerseys The magpies part of the west tigers merger would never admit it but im sure they will be working to bring back the magpies and the jersey
S T Ruggling
Roar Pro
The theme for teams tend to be 3 grand finals 1 premiership The storm were the exception as they got busted for salary cap Think the best thing you can do in regards to sponsor logos is get them removed
Jason Hosken
Roar Guru
I think it was 1994 when Manly took on Pepsi, I was mortified when the traditional colours were diluted by the thin red and blue stripes. Much like I am now with the hideous green Coco-Joy on the 70th anniversary jumper - I rate the jumper but refuse to buy. Can you buy sponsor-free jumpers these days? Tough to go past a Wests Victa Magpies from the early 80s - great look and epitomised Roy Master's fibro image. My other favourites include: Broncos original, Gold Coast Seagulls silver original, Souths Smiths Crisps, Western Reds first in the ARL. Norths Leagues Bears another beauty.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
I wonder if anyone has considered putting out a range of current jerseys minus the ads, probably sell like hot cakes.
S T Ruggling
Roar Pro
Think thats why the 80s jerseys are so popular, you only had the one sponsor rather than front and back of jersey, arms, shorts etc
Baracuda
Guest
Manly were unlucky not to win more than one premiership in the 90s, a period that could be compared to the dragons under Wayne Bennett and the 'chokers' tag. Australian teams tend to have similar colour schemes in their jerseys, in contrast with Europe where a team's home and away could be completely different colours. A notable example is Arsenal FC, which has for many years worn a red and white home with a dark blue and gold away.
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Some of the Super League ones weren't entirely bad (of course more than half are absolutely horrible) -- the "S" logo was a bit dumb, but at least they weren't glorified billboards.
S T Ruggling
Roar Pro
They would be worth a small fortune these days http://thumbs4.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mVP07bZQ_DKbbxOZG-E638A.jpg
Steve L.
Guest
I think without doubt the black & gold jerseys of Balmain were the most striking. The Broncos seem to think so too as their gold gets deeper, and maroon gets darker every year.