Canberra Raiders super-fan’s enviable memorabilia collection

With 101 jerseys and a Viking tattoo on his torso, Peter “Nugget” Osborne is a veritable Canberra Raiders super-fan.

Canberra Raiders superfan Peter “Nugget” Osborne with some of his jerseys and the Viking tattoo on his torso. Picture: Kate Christian

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Peter “Nugget” Osborne jokes he “bled lime green” when he had a Viking tattoo etched onto his torso.

The Canberra Raiders super-fan owns every single jersey worn by the club since its inception in 1982.

All up he has 101 jerseys, including extremely rare editions like the Woodger’s jumper from 1986 when the team had to don white because the Rabbitohs were wearing green.

“It’s so hard to get and it’s the most sought after jersey out of any year and it’s really rare to get it in such good condition,” Mr Osborne, 38, said.

Mr Osborne with the rare Woodger’s jersey from 1986.

Another gem is the jersey from 1992 when Great Britain came to Canberra Stadium to play the Raiders.

When Jerseys Megastore released a re-creation of the jersey last week, they knew where to send their representative to get the measurements; Mr Osborne’s house in Canberra’s north.

Perhaps the most telling indication of his super-fan status is his ownership of a piece of the Winfield Cup trophy from 1989, when the Raiders beat Balmain in what’s considered one of the greatest premiership deciders of all time.

The broken piece from the 1989 Winfield Cup trophy.

Mal Meninga can be seen in photos strategically placing a towel over the base of the trophy to conceal the damage when presenting it to jubilant fans.

Mr Osborne got to keep one of the broken pieces as a souvenir when it was repaired.

Raiders legend Mal Meninga covering the broken base of the 1989 Winfield Cup trophy with a towel.

A photo he holds most dear to him is one of player Clinton Schifcofske embracing him after setting up the winning try in 2006.

“He spilt beer all over me and head-butted my friend by accident so he gave me his jersey because it was the last home game of the season,” he said.

Raiders player Clinton Schifcofske embracing fan Peter Osborne after setting up the winning try in 2006. Picture: The Canberra Times.

For 15 years he and his mates have sat right on the try line at Canberra Stadium in Bay 57—which features prominently in his Viking tattoo.

As a child he remembers watching the players run out at Seiffert Oval in the late eighties.

“I grew up on the hill banging the fence; those were the glory years, we didn’t have too many losses back then.

“My dad was mates with (former Raiders chairman) John McIntyre who used to get us into the sheds.”

Peter “Nugget” Osborne's framed picture of the winning 1994 grand final jersey signed by the players.

Of course his favourite player was now coach Ricky Stuart who he credits with reigniting interest in the club, which lost a lot of fans to the Brumbies when the Superleague split the competition in half in 1997.

“It’s taken a while but Ricky has got them back; he’s got the passion back in the town.

“He’s had his knocks but he’s got us into the grand final and I’m just so happy we’ve made it.”

Mr Osborne is lost for words he is so excited about Sunday’s grand final.

Mr Osborne is heading up to ANZ Stadium in a car full of mates on Sunday morning.

“I’m super excited, I’m just lost for words,” he said.

“I’ll cry if we win and if we lose I’ll still be proud.

“At the start of the year I’d would have said you were crazy if you told me we’d be in the grand final.”