Rugby League Jerseys

Australian Rugby League - Player Kits

The 1911/12 Kangaroo jersey The first Australian rugby league Test jersey (Sydney 1908) was light blue.

The 'rugby' tradition pre-1908 had been to wear blue in Sydney and maroon in Brisbane.

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).

Various sources indicate the use of a maroon jersey for three Test matches held in Brisbane.

1908 Kangaroo Jersey This is consistent with the pre-1908 'rugby' tradition of using home state colours.

The maroon jersey is likely to have been used in Brisbane Tests held in 1908, 1909 and 1920.

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

The jersey was only ever used in England during that first Kangaroo Tour.

This jersey design was not unique to rugby league, having been used at times by the Australian rugby union in the early 1900s.

The blue and maroon jersey was subsequently
used in Australia for series held in 1910, '14 & '24.

It returned in 1963 to avoid a colour clash in Tests
against South Africa.

1928 Australian captain Tom Gorman 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.

No further Tests were played until the home series of 1928 against England.

The new jersey was green with gold hooped bands, and it's first use was in Brisbane.

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

A 75th anniversary version was worn by the Australian Kangaroos in July 2003 in a Test match
against New Zealand at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Dave Brown - 1933/34 Kangaroo Tour The green jersey with the gold 'V' is the most famous of Australia's Test jerseys - it has been in continuous use since 1929 (on the 1929/30 Kangaroo Tour to England). It had a white collar.

Its use on that tour is recorded as Australian sports first major overseas appearance in a green and gold playing strip.

Slight variations have been made over the decades including a change in the colour of the collar (from white to gold) and the use of gold piping on the sleeves during the 1970s and 1980s.