The Top 8: Cult Rugby League Jerseys

It’s no secret that I’m a big jersey nerd.

In fact, I would say that outside of working and sleeping, I spend the vast majority of my time either thinking about jerseys, talking about jerseys, scouring the internet for jerseys or (sigh) drawing jerseys.

I also consume A LOT of rugby league media and occasionally during my trips down the retro rabbit-hole, I stumble across a photo featuring a jersey that stops me in my tracks. This article is about this type of jersey.

It’s the type jersey that has only been worn in a handful of games or, in some cases, just one game. The kind of jersey that rugby league nerds, like yours truly, would crawl across broken glass and then sacrifice a limb for.

When reading this article, please note that the jerseys on this list haven’t necessarily been picked because they’re stylish, they’ve been picked mainly on the basis of their rarity and their obscurity. So without further ado, let’s start the countdown.

8. Wests Tigers double-header jersey (2001)

First cab off the rank is this Tigers jersey which the side wore in the opening match of their second season, a 30-16 loss to the Roosters. Predominantly black, with narrow white and orange stripes across the chest and shoulders, what this jersey lacks in looks, it more than makes up for in its obscurity.  Despite its ugliness, this shirt must have gone down well with someone at the club as the joint venture’s 2018 “‘members’ jersey” is a basically a homage it.

7. Warriors ‘special’ jersey (1997)

Does anyone remember this jersey? No worries if you don’t. It was only used in one game against Canterbury, so if you blinked, you probably missed it. Presentation-wise, it’s nothing special, just a dark blue shirt, with a DB Bitter sponsor and a Super League logo (interestingly, located on the right breast, rather than the centre of the chest). I’m not really a fan of this shirt (it’s a bit bland and looks more like a training jersey), but it makes the list because of its scarcity (it was worn once and never retailed).

6. Illawarra Steelers Great Britain tour game (1992)

1992 was a significant year for the boys from the ‘Gong. Not only did they win the Tooheys Challenge, come third in the minor premiership and get within one game of the grand final, but they also came remarkably close to beating Mal Reilly’s touring Lions, going down 11-10 after a late Kevin Ellis field goal. However, as memorable as this game was, it’s fair to say that the Steelers’ jersey was the bigger talking point post-match, and it’s not hard to see why! This jersey is a thing of beauty, from the white portion across the shoulders to the bold red stripes running down each sleeve, this is as classy as they come. This shirt is considered the holy grail for not just Steelers fans, but jersey collectors generally.

5. Canberra Raiders Great Britain tour game (1992)

We’re the bad and mean Navy and Green Machine?! While the Steelers opted for their traditional colour scheme against the tourists, the Raiders opted for a jersey that would not have looked out of place at an ACT Brumbies game, ditching their predominately green strip in favour of a jumper that incorporated the ACT’s official colours. Despite the fact Canberra was comfortably beaten 24-12 by the Lions in the match, this unusual shirt carries a lot of cachet on the mean streets of Bruce and Belconnen.

4. Melbourne Storm away jersey (1998)

Before they donned the canary yellow, Melbourne’s alternate jersey was this spiffing ‘White Lightning’ number which was basically a very classy reversal of their original home strip. Unfortunately, the jersey didn’t get the treatment it deserved and as far as I can tell, it looks like it was only worn during a trial against the Adelaide Rams in Tasmania and one premiership match against the Cowboys. This delightful design faded into obscurity until 2012, when it made its triumphant return during the Storm’s pre-season trials as part of the club’s 15th-anniversary celebrations.

 

 

3. Cronulla pre-season jersey (1986, 1988)

For many Cronulla collectors, this shirt is considered the ‘White Whale’ (or should we say ‘Great White Shark?’) as it was only worn during 1986 and 1988 pre-seasons and basically disappeared off the face of the earth not long after.  Made by Westmont, this jersey didn’t feature a NSWRL logo nor a Sharks logo. In fact, the only type of logo that appeared was that of the club’s major sponsor, Ronson (1986) and Aussie Duct (1988). Rumour has it the reason why this jersey basically disappeared is that the NSWRL was not happy with Cronulla’s decision to wear it and pressured the Sharks to take it out of commission.

 

 

2. Brisbane Broncos World Sevens  (1995)

And you thought their harlequin jersey was weird. While almost every team in the NSWRL and ARL experimented with unique jersey designs during the World Sevens, no shirt was quite as memorable as Brisbane’s effort from the 1995 tournament. Ever the trendsetters, the Broncos shunned their traditional maroon and yellow in favour of a teal, purple and white number that was probably more suited to the world’s gaudiest golf course than a rugby league field. While it wasn’t the most attractive of jerseys, because it was such a departure from the norm, this shirt instantly became a cult classic.

1. Eastern Suburbs ‘Summer’ strip (1982)

Introduced to combat the effects of the late summer heat in 1982, this stylish white jumper only appeared in the Roosters’ opening three games of the premiership season against Newtown, Illawarra and Cronulla. This makes it as rare as hen’s teeth (sorry, couldn’t resist). With its plain design and vibrant red shorts, this shirt is one of the game’s forgotten gems and I’d love to see the Roosters use it as a heritage jersey sometime in the near future.