Illawarra Steelers NSWRL jersey

[Loyal Tyke]

I have an Illawarra Steelers jersey that dates from 95 to 97 and has the NSWRL badge on it and a no 19 on the back. I've a feeling it's a player issue jersey due to it having the NSWRL badge on it rather than an ARL one and the fact that the stitching is re-inforced under the arms. I'm sure I read somwhere that the numbers on the jerseys carried on from the first grade numbers which would possibly explain the no 19 on the back.
Grateful if anyone could maybe clarify if my thinking is correct.
Would be great to know who possibly wore it, but I thnk that's stretching it a bit.
Cheers

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

If the info given is right, then the jersey would belong to either a bench Reserve Grade/ President's Cup player or to the 5/8 in President's Cup (if the numbers kept continuing down the grades, with 14 being fullback in President's Cup). Numbers stopped continuing from 1st Grade to Reserve Grade when the 1st Grade comp changed over from the NSWRL to the ARL. I'm not sure if that continued in the lower grades though.

Hope it helps somewhat. Others to look up would be a guy like Steel Dragon on the forum, as he has an excellent knowledge of the Steelers and may be able to identify it with a player or grade.

 

[Diesel]

It's a possibility it could be 1994 or earlier as the ARL badge for first grade changed in 1995. I'm unsure of the year but the jersey was a V neck until 1996 or so.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

True, then it would be the 5/8 from Reserve Grade.

 

[Diesel]

Trent Barrett perhaps?

 

[ballbag]

Frazer Hament?

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

Trent Barrett perhaps?

Too young for Trent Barrett if it's NSWRL 1st Grade premiership. It would have to be the back end of the ARL for Barrett in President's Cup, so it' s possible.

 

[Whoosh]

I've just checked a random Big League for Rd 17 1995 and the Steelers Reggies 5/8 in jersey 19 was Ben Duckworth.

 

[Whoosh]

Round 8 from 1994 and the Number 19 is the great Craig Patch......

 

[Loyal Tyke]

Cheers for all the info provided everyone
I'm sure I've got the years right, because the jersey is the last style the Steelers had but has the 'american footballer' badge, rather than the bloke with the hammer.
So it looks like it's a possibility I've got a reserve grade stand off jersey.
I suppose with it been reserve grade, players can dip in and out of 1st and reserve grade depending on form/injury comebacks.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

Bingo. Also in those NSWRL days, once the team sheets were released that was your number for the weekend. So say the 1st Grade 5/8 went down at training, they would call up the Reserve Grade 5/8 but he would still wear the no. 19 jersey he was announced in for Reserve Grade.