NRL 2021: Andrew Voss’ picks for your club’s best NRL jersey
You’ve had your say on your club’s best jersey of all-time — now it’s NRL legend Andrew Voss’ turn. Check out why Vossy loves the Rabbitohs green and red more than any other strip.
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Like a lot of footy fans, I’ve been a rugby league jersey aficionado, and a collector, all my life.
From my first one — a North Sydney jersey with the old red and black horizontal stripes — the simple designs, with the classic colours, always seem to stand the test of time.
That’s why so many of us hang onto our old jerseys. Sometimes they wouldn’t fit in a fib, it’s either a jersey they had as a kid or one from when they were a little more svelte. It’s been through the wash a thousand times and they still try to squeeze into it every now and then because they just can’t throw it away.
VOTE: Pick your NRL club’s best jersey
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Jerseys can also become memorable because of their sponsor, sometimes it can really enhance them. People like their City Ford Roosters jersey, their Phillips Balmain Tigers jersey, their Smith’s Crisps Rabbitohs jersey.
The old Norths jersey was sadly lost along the way, but my own collection is still extensive. Even ones I got as hand-me-downs from my two older brothers, or jerseys that would be flat out fitting a six-year old. There’s just nothing else like them.
BRISBANE BRONCOS – 1991
I have to go back to the Broncos ‘Powers’ jerseys — preferably with a collar. The Ansett jerseys from the mid-1990s would be a serious collectors item but my mind always goes back to the original. You see the jersey and get a flashback to their first game back in 1988, the big win over Manly.
CANBERRA RAIDERS – 1989
Tradition is always best for Canberra. If they just went back to their original jersey it would be a great marketing move, because original is always best for the Raiders. Go all the way – have three-quarter sleeves, leave room for big shoulder pads, that’s what they need to do.
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS – 1985
I don’t mind the blue and white horizontal bands for the Bulldogs, but simple is always the best for Canterbury. They never needed a splash of any other colour because of the blue and white. Something like the 1985 grand final is as recognisable and basic as it gets – blue and white vs red and white, it wasn’t anything amazing but it just worked.
CRONULLA SHARKS – 1991
I was always a fan of their first strip back in 1967, and it’s always good when they go back to that. As a kid I bought a jersey because I loved it so much but the first time I wore down to the park they’d just painted new lines on the field and I got oil markings all over it. I was devastated, it was a tragic incident.
GOLD COAST TITANS – n/a
As long as the Titans are around they’ll have a tough marker when it comes to jerseys because when I hear Gold Coast I still think Chargers, and I think Captain Charger. That teal strip they had as the Chargers is hard for the Titans to beat, they need to remember their history on the Gold Coast – maybe put up a photo of Jamie Goddard in a Chargers jersey at the stadium or something.
MANLY SEA EAGLES – 1987
I do like Manly to be predominantly maroon, they’re maroon and white but maroon should always be the dominant colour. They’ve been in so many grand finals in those colours. Those jerseys honour their greats – Bob Fulton, Cliffy Lyons, Fatty on the shoulders coming off the field, I think that’s the way to go.
MELBOURNE STORM – 1998/99
I’m not a fashion expert but as a rugby league fashion aficionado, I like it when Melbourne wear less purple. Their first jerseys had the purple in the ‘V’ but it was predominantly navy, Glenn Lazarus doing the cartwheel after the 1999 grand final, that’s the jersey I most recognise. That’s my tip for Melbourne – less purple, more Lazzo cartwheeling.
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS – 1988
They won two premierships with the vertical stripes but this is a club where sponsorship has such a big impact on your affection for the jersey and Henny Penny chicken sponsoring your club is one of the best of all time. There’s not too many Henny Penny’s left, but if you walk around with that jersey 50 or a 100 years from now cool blokes will still say ‘I want one of those’.
NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS – 1995
Of the 743 jerseys the Warriors have worn since their inception, and having gone back and analysed them over a period of three days, I think they still got it right the first time. That first jersey did fine. I have liked some of the jerseys they’ve worn for their capital clashes, when they represent different parts of New Zealand, but there’s 743 jerseys to pick from – it can be hard to narrow it down.
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS – 2015
There’s nothing really old school about North Queensland’s jerseys. I do like their combinations of colours, they need to stick to that, but the Cowboys have only won the one premiership so they should probably go with the one that won them the comp. They’ve got some improving to do to come up with something magical.
PARRAMATTA EELS – 1981
Parramatta is blue and gold, they never need to add anything else to it. Give me the jerseys they wore in the late 1970s and early 1980s – it’s enough to make you want to get into a flying wedge, get five mates and have a flying wedge at the tryline in that jersey, so inspirational was it.
PENRITH PANTHERS – 1990
Whatever Penrith do it must have Dahdah Uniforms written across the front. But brown isn’t a big colour with football teams, so why not set the pace? It would go against the grain of modern fashion, but why not be a little different. A brown and white combo, with Dahdah, that’s a dream pairing.
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS – 2009
They’ve had them all and being a Souths fan as a kid I had them all. But when you’re a foundation club are you trying to outsmart yourself when you go against the basic spirit of your club? Cardinal red and myrtle green is it for South Sydney, and that’s what young players in the area should aspire to wear, so let’s keep it that way.
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS – 1999
Poor old Illawarra are always represented, but you have to bow to the greater brand sometimes. The white with the big red V, that opens doors, that’s as iconic as it gets in rugby league. They’re another team that always needs to keep it simple, don’t mess with a classic, I’d always be proud to wear that if I was a St George Illawarra supporter.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS – 1975
Nick Politis is the shrewdest of businessmen but he must be so proud that the red, white and blue jersey is so associated with City Ford. It was so simple, so basic, but it worked so well. They should always have a collar, a Roosters jersey with a big white collar would be peak appeal for mine.
WESTS TIGERS – 2013 heritage and 2004 heritage
I don’t mind if the Tigers are one club that embraces both sides on a regular basis. It’s always good when they wear the heritage jerseys that show the black and white of the Magpies or the black and gold of the Tigers. I know they want to be a new club, but if there’s one club that should have two jerseys with an even split through the year it’s the Tigers. At Campbelltown, wear the Maggies jersey, at Leichhardt they wear the old Balmain strips.
VOSSY’S FAVOURITE JERSEY
It’s impossible to go past the classic South Sydney strip – cardinal red and myrtle green in vertical bars, what more could you ask for? I was a Rabbitohs fan growing up, Bobby McCarthy was my hero, and it’s still the best jersey in the league for mine. They might make little changes here and there, but so long as they stick with the old colours they’re doing something right.
PENRITH’S MOST FAMOUS JERSEY SET FOR COMEBACK
Fatima Kodouh
Penrith’s most famous jersey will make a comeback in season 2021 as a tribute to the club’s first ever premiership win back in 1991.
The Daily Telegraph has been asking NRL fans to vote for their favourite jerseys of all time.
When Ivan Cleary was asked to pick his favourite Penrith jumper, the coach, without hesitation, picked the much loved ‘ licorice all sorts’ kit of 1991.
“I’d vote for the 1991 jumper, the ‘licorice all sorts’ they called it. I think it was the first year they wore it after the chocolate soldiers ones. We’re wearing that one this year in a couple of weeks and we’ll wear it again when we play Canberra for the 30th anniversary of the grand final,” Cleary said.
VOTE: Pick your NRL club’s best jersey
Penrith inaugural title came after a 19-12 victory against Canberra back in 1991.
The Panthers will celebrate the historic win and pay homage to club greats who wore the jumper, like Royce Simmons, Greg Alexander and Mark Geyer, when the side runs out against the Raiders in round five on April 9.
Cleary told The Daily Telegraph he hopes to have as many players from that victorious outfit involved in the week leading up to the match.
“We’ve always got Brandy [Alexander] and Roycey [Simmons] around here but we’d like to do something like that, where some of the guys from ‘91 hand out the jersey,” Cleary said.
“It was obviously a great day, and season, for the club and it would be good to be able to reflect back on that.”
While five-eighth Jarome Luai wasn’t born until 1997, the history and nostalgia tied to the jumper isn’t lost on the rising playmaker.
“My pick would be the most recent ones. I really love the ones we are playing in at the moment but the 1991 jersey is a close second, I reckon,” Luai said.
“We’re going to get a chance to represent those guys who played in that famous jersey, but also everyone that came before us this year. Hopefully we play well against Canberra and the Old Boys are there watching us and we make them proud. It’s going to be pretty cool.”
Brian To’o’s choice as his favourite Panthers jumper was as colourful as the winger’s personality. The flyer who is famous for his Kung Fu pre-match routine voted the club’s 2010 teal and white away strip.
“I’d vote for the 2010 jersey but only if it has the same fit as the new one. So the same colour and design but a bit more fitted. I like it, it’s different from the others, it’s a bit unique,” To’o said.
Vote for your favourite jersey at dailytelegraph.com.au
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