The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Canberra Raiders history

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greeneyed
Don Furner
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The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by greeneyed »

The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

When the Canberra Raiders entered the NSWRL in 1982 a public competition was held to design a team jumper, complete with colours, which would not conflict with any other existing club. A competition was also held to decide on the emblem and team name.

The jumper competition was won by Canberran Beverly Patricia Elphick (nee Taylor), selected from about 150 entries. The club colours combined the blue and gold official colours of the ACT and the colours of the first rugby league team in the district, Hall (green and white). The famous shade of lime green was selected so as to avoid a clash with South Sydney’s jersey. Don Furner later revealed that it was modelled on the green of a sofa at the Queanbeyan Leagues Club. "In Les McIntyre's office there was a lounge that was that colour and we said why not that colour there, and that's how it all began" Furner remembered.

The idea for the club moniker, the Raiders, is also attributed to Don Furner, who had visited the Oakland Raiders NFL team in the United States. The concept was that Canberra would be going on raiding parties on Sydney every second weekend. The Viking emblem was designed by the NSWRL marketing department in the end.

This was the original jersey from 1982:

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1982 jersey

The design remained essentially unchanged for the club’s first eight years, through the Raiders’ first Grand Final in 1987...

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1987 jersey

and the Raiders first premiership in 1989...

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1989 jersey

though the shade of green evolved and the name of the first sponsor, Woodgers, appeared on the front of the jersey in 1983.

The first change in the jersey design was made in 1990 - the year of the club's second premiership - with the appearance of a blue, instead of a white collar, and blue trims for the sleeves. It was a minor change in the scheme of things. Video Ezy also took over the club sponsorship in 1990.

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1990 jersey

There was more evolution in 1994 - the year of the Raiders' third premiership - with the appearance of a more traditional collar, still in blue. Canberra Milk had taken over the sponsorship in 1993 - and were succeeded by Newsclassifieds for the 1996 season.

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1994 jersey

Superleague brought a major design change in 1997, with the ARL claiming rights over club emblems. The only emblem appearing on the jersey was a Raiders version of the Superleague logo, an "S" in the shape of a football. While the jerseys were initially clean of sponsorships, the now defunct airline, Ansett Australia, became the Raiders sponsors, with their logo on the front of the jersey, and the sleeves. The Green Machine looked more like the White Machine.

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1997 jersey

That jersey was retained with the re-unification of the code and the establishment of the National Rugby League in 1998. We saw the return of the Raiders emblem, with Oracle becoming sponsor.

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1998 jersey

The year 2000 saw another radical design change, with OzEmail taking over as sponsor. The jersey changed to predominantly dark green and black, with a flash of fluro green down the front of the jersey. The ACT's blue and gold was completely missing. 2000 also saw a redesigned Raiders emblem, one that has survived to this day. That jersey design survived for three seasons...

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2001 jersey

before a switch back to the more traditional green, blue, gold and white in 2003. Bold blue and gold stripes went down the sleeves and sides of the jersey, with green the predominant colour. Fone Zone took over the front of the jersey part-way through 2003, after the club had started the season without a major sponsor.

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2005 jersey

The 2006 season saw a return to the past... a jersey that harked back to the 1990 and 1994 premierships... a design that survived for three seasons...

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2006 jersey

before another return to the past in 2009. This time, the Raiders looked back to 1989, essentially replicating the jersey worn during the club's first premiership. It had been the club's heritage jersey in 2008, the 100th anniversary of rugby league in Australia. The CFMEU took over the major sponsorship in 2007, with the CFMEU's licenced club, The Tradies, featuring on the front of the jersey in 2011.

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2008 heritage jersey

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2009 jersey

The Raiders had never sported the traditional rugby league "V" on their jerseys, until the 2012 season. The new jersey that year was predominantly green, with a blue, gold and white "V" on the chest. The Raiders started 2012 without a major sponsor, so they gave over the front of their jersey to charity, The Cancer Council. Huawei, became major sponsor mid season in 2012, and in 2019, they will become the club's longest major sponsor.

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2012 jersey

The Raiders again went back to the future in 2015. The blue, gold and white "V" was gone, and the home jersey once more resembled the jersey from the 1990 and 1994 premierships - predominantly green with blue and gold on the sleeves, and blue collars. 2017 saw a slight change, with a blue strip added down the sides.

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2016 jersey

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2017 jersey

In 2019, it will be 30 years since the club's 1989 premiership... so again, the Raiders will return to the design worn in the greatest Grand Final of all time.

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The focus here has been on the club's home strip... but there have been many different away, alternate and special commemorative jersey designs over the years. What did you think of the gold away jersey, the charcoal away jersey... and the Incredible Hulk jersey?

Tell us... what were your favourite Raiders jersey designs?
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-PJ-
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Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by -PJ- »

Good to see ole Sidemouth in that 1987 team photo..
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-PJ-
Mal Meninga
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Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by -PJ- »

The change of material in which the jerseys are made of changed which pearced me off.

These latest jerseys are hot to wear and tight fitting..

Not good for the Macfattybutterpants amoung us..including me !!

The Woodgers and Canberra Milk jerseys will always be special.

I've both of them. Plus a few others.

I don't wear them, my wardrobe is green and takes up a lot of room..
3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment..Old Faithful
#emptythetank :shock:
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Dusty
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Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by Dusty »

My favourites

1994
1990
2016


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2020: 1. Nicol-Klokstad 2. Cotric 3. Croker (c) 4 Leilua 5. Scott 6. Wighton 7. G. Williams 8. Papalii 9. Hodgson (c) 10. Sutton 11. J. Bateman 12. Whitehead 13. Tapine ----
14. Simmonson 15. Soliola 16. Guler 17. Horsburgh
edwahu

Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by edwahu »

Dusty wrote: December 26, 2018, 4:48 pm My favourites

1994
1990
2016


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Same here. The simpler the better for mine.
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Dusty
Ruben Wiki
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Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by Dusty »

An away jersey thread would be cool


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2020: 1. Nicol-Klokstad 2. Cotric 3. Croker (c) 4 Leilua 5. Scott 6. Wighton 7. G. Williams 8. Papalii 9. Hodgson (c) 10. Sutton 11. J. Bateman 12. Whitehead 13. Tapine ----
14. Simmonson 15. Soliola 16. Guler 17. Horsburgh
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greeneyed
Don Furner
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Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by greeneyed »

Dusty wrote: December 26, 2018, 5:49 pm An away jersey thread would be cool

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I've set up a Pinterest board with pics of alternate designs back to 2009: https://www.pinterest.com.au/theghraide ... e-jerseys/

I think that is fairly comprehensive for that period. Might be missing an Auckland Nines jersey. I'll try and add some from earlier years if I can find them. I know I do have some pics from earlier years.

If people want to add some of the older away/alternate jerseys below, more than welcome!
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gangrenous
Laurie Daley
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Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by gangrenous »

Dusty wrote:My favourites

1994
1990
2016


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Seems pretty clear that jersey design contributes to on field performance
julian87
Laurie Daley
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Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by julian87 »

Gee I hated the 2012 roosters design in Raiders colors
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
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EVH
Terry Campese
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Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by EVH »

Look at that horse our current logo rode in on...yikes, by far, a long long way, the worst Raiders jersey of all time, and we kept that logo ever since! Last year when there was all that debate about going back to the old logo, the current one just seemed to get the upper hand, but only just, which, i think it pretty alarming seeming people will naturally pick the incumbent. It would be cool if they put it to a vote just for members.

Another gripe i have is ISC, International Sports Clothing? It so boooooooorrrrring, i actually can't stand it, and it somehow holds a monopoly on most clubs. Bring back Canterbury, or Nike, or even Puma, then we might get some good supporters gear for once.

Best jersey is definitely Woodgers 89. Also a big fan of Video Ezy, both the store and the jersey. I miss going to the video store, and us winning premierships.
Ah, might as well jump (Jump!) Might as well jump Go ahead an' jump (jump!) Go ahead and jump Ow oh, hey you! Who said that?
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Rick
Steve Walters
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Re: The evolution of the Canberra Raiders jersey

Post by Rick »

Agree completely. ISC is very average!


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