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Kangaroo Jerseys

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

Balmain's Charles "Chook" Fraser wearing his 1911/12 blue Kangaroo jersey.

The first Australian rugby league Test was played in Sydney in 1908. As a result, the team wore a sky-blue NSW jersey. This was a continuation of the rugby union tradition of wearing the jersey of the home state team.

The blue jersey was used in home series in 1908, 1909 and 1920. It was also used for Kangaroo Tours in 1911/12 and 1921/22.

This photo is of Charles Fraser in the 1911 Kangaroo playing strip of blue jersey, black shorts & maroon socks (with a blue band).

For Tests in Brisbane in 1908, 1909 and 1920 the Australian team wore maroon jerseys.

Dally Messenger wearing the 1908 Kangaroos jersey.

The first use of a jersey incorporating the colours of NSW and Queensland - blue and maroon - was for the Kangaroo Tour of 1908/09.

This was the only Australain team to tour overseas in the combined state colours jersey.

This jersey design was not unique to rugby league, having been used by the Australian rugby union team in 1905 and 1907.

For home Tests, the blue and maroon jersey was used in series against the Great Britain Lions in 1910, 1914 and 1924.

It was also used in 1963 in a home series against South Africa (who played in green).

Queensland's Tom Gorman - captained Australia in 1928

Following the formation of the Australian Rugby League Board of Control in the mid-1920s, it was resolved to use the colours of green and gold.

However, no further Tests were played until the home series of 1928 against England. The new jersey, designed in green with gold hooped bands, made its debut in the First Test in Brisbane.

Its use in 1928 is cited as the first time an Australian sporting team wore a green and gold playing strip at a major event.

Following a suggestion from the author, a 75th anniversary version was worn by the Kangaroos in the July 2003 Test against New Zealand at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Easts' Dave Brown, photographed in the 1933-34 Kangaroos playing strip.

The green jersey with the gold 'V' is the most famous of Australia's Test jerseys - it has been in continuous use since the 1929/30 Kangaroo Tour to England (apart from the 1935 short tour of NZ, which used a 1928-style hoop design).

The 1929 Kangaroos are recognised as the first Australian sporting team to play overseas in a green and gold playing strip.

The change from hoops to the V is thought to have been simply a matter of reduced costs, though the use of the double-V suggests the design was styled to follow the neck-piping used on Australian cricket vests.

Slight variations have been made over the decades, including a changing collar colour from white to gold, and the use of gold piping on the sleeves during the 1970s and 1980s. Green shorts have been used since the 1970s. Earlier strips included the use of white or black shorts, including variations within the same series.