2013 Jersey, Logo, Sponsorship Discussion

[parrawentyfan]

As a Parra fan who lived in Wollongong for several years, I always feel conflicted with the Dragons. I supported the Hawks and Wolves, but just can't bring myself to support the Dragons, although i was happy for Wollongong when they won their first title ever a couple of years ago. Just a personal perspective from an outsider - no offense intended. Am in Canberra now, and have a definite soft spot for the Raiders as second team.

This has probably been done to death, but is there still a disconnect with ex-Steelers fans, or are most on board with the Dragons? The reason I ask is that I always thought it odd that the Dragons jersey be the home jersey, even for Wollongong games. Has there ever been thought to splitting the 'home' jersey between Sydney and Wollongong - is it allowed for 2 home jerseys? I can see the need to have a single identity moving forward with kids though, as tough as it is for oldies. It will fix itself over time,

I usually love the ABC radio commentary, but a year or so ago they whinged and whinged about how it was disgraceful for the Dragons to wear the Steelers uniform in the Heritage round - I just thought it was logical at least every second year.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

I actually liked the "Liverpool" away jersey we had, but it didn't gain much traction at the time since we were coming off the blood and bandages alternate which was very popular with the fan base.

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

As a Parra fan who lived in Wollongong for several years, I always feel conflicted with the Dragons. I supported the Hawks and Wolves, but just can't bring myself to support the Dragons, although i was happy for Wollongong when they won their first title ever a couple of years ago. Just a personal perspective from an outsider - no offense intended. Am in Canberra now, and have a definite soft spot for the Raiders as second team.

This has probably been done to death, but is there still a disconnect with ex-Steelers fans, or are most on board with the Dragons? The reason I ask is that I always thought it odd that the Dragons jersey be the home jersey, even for Wollongong games. Has there ever been thought to splitting the 'home' jersey between Sydney and Wollongong - is it allowed for 2 home jerseys? I can see the need to have a single identity moving forward with kids though, as tough as it is for oldies. It will fix itself over time,

I usually love the ABC radio commentary, but a year or so ago they whinged and whinged about how it was disgraceful for the Dragons to wear the Steelers uniform in the Heritage round - I just thought it was logical at least every second year.

I did live in Wollongong for a few years while I was at Uni there after spending most my life in Penshurst + Oatley. With the locals it was strange. They had their own fan group separate from the Dragon Army, but would only ever be at WIN Stadium. You would never see that group either at Jubilee Oval or at an away game. They openly displayed Dragons support in local business and would tell you that they followed the Dragons, but if we lost (which we did a lot at the time) the shit hit the fan either on WIN news or in the Mercury, the latter being mostly letters to the editor. Honestly they were great winners down there, but ordinary during the leaner times. A lot spoke of an independent NRL team down there, but came unstuck when they were asked where the money was going to come from.

Not sure if it's changed in the mean time since I spent the last 4 years in the arsehole of Australia (the Gold Coast), but hopefully 2010 has pulled everyone together. Some really passionate people down there, and it would be great if they all got behind the team.

As for the Steelers jersey, it is often worn when we play Canberra in Wollongong (heritage since both clubs entered the comp in the same year). They also wear it during "Illawarra Rugby League Week", though I don't remember it ever having a fixed date. And occasionally they wear it just for the hell of it since we're in Wollongong.

 

[innsaneink]

I did live in Wollongong for a few years while I was at Uni there after spending most my life in Penshurst + Oatley. With the locals it was strange. They had their own fan group separate from the Dragon Army, but would only ever be at WIN Stadium. You would never see that group either at Jubilee Oval or at an away game. They openly displayed Dragons support in local business and would tell you that they followed the Dragons, but if we lost (which we did a lot at the time) the shit hit the fan either on WIN news or in the Mercury, the latter being mostly letters to the editor. Honestly they were great winners down there, but ordinary during the leaner times. A lot spoke of an independent NRL team down there, but came unstuck when they were asked where the money was going to come from.

Not sure if it's changed in the mean time since I spent the last 4 years in the arsehole of Australia (the Gold Coast), but hopefully 2010 has pulled everyone together. Some really passionate people down there, and it would be great if they all got behind the team.

As for the Steelers jersey, it is often worn when we play Canberra in Wollongong (heritage since both clubs entered the comp in the same year). They also wear it during "Illawarra Rugby League Week", though I don't remember it ever having a fixed date. And occasionally they wear it just for the hell of it since we're in Wollongong.

Sounds a bit like the Wests side Campbelltown era...probably feel like theyre being dudded cause thats how it looks to most....seems to be very little Illawarra recognition

 

[Prometheus]

This has probably been done to death, but is there still a disconnect with ex-Steelers fans, or are most on board with the Dragons?

There will always be a few people who refuse to move on, but most of us have learnt to embrace the joint venture. There are also still St George, Balmain and Magpies fans who feel like that too. The introductions of the Steelers jersey as the alternate helped to make us feel like the Illawarra was being shown some respect.

The Illawarra's traditional pre-Steelers affiliation with St George helps. It just makes sense.

The reason I ask is that I always thought it odd that the Dragons jersey be the home jersey, even for Wollongong games. Has there ever been thought to splitting the 'home' jersey between Sydney and Wollongong - is it allowed for 2 home jerseys? I can see the need to have a single identity moving forward with kids though, as tough as it is for oldies.

They use the Steelers design at Wollongong a fair bit. The Dragons don't use the term "away" jersey. It is an alternate jersey.

 

[flippikat]

There will always be a few people who refuse to move on, but most of us have learnt to embrace the joint venture. There are also still St George, Balmain and Magpies fans who feel like that too. The introductions of the Steelers jersey as the alternate helped to make us feel like the Illawarra was being shown some respect.

The Illawarra's traditional pre-Steelers affiliation with St George helps. It just makes sense.



They use the Steelers design at Wollongong a fair bit. The Dragons don't use the term "away" jersey. It is an alternate jersey.

Then there's the other issue - The Magpies side of the Wests Tigers club is represented by a magpie on the shoulder of the team jerseys.

Where's Stanley the Steeler on St George-Illawarra jerseys?

I think Gazf came up with an elegant solution by having a "back of jersey" logo for his designs - in the Dragons case, a cog representing the Illawarra side of the JV.

http://gazf.info/?p=1432

Sure it's not in ALL of his concept designs, but the idea of teams having a secondary logo on the back of the jerseys opens an extra marketing angle - especially in merchandising.

The back logo could either be a representation of the partner club in a joint venture (such as the Steelers cog), or a different version of the team mascot (eg bring back a leaping Panther on the front of Penrith's jersey, and have a Panther face on the back) or a monogram (I see Gazf uses an 'A' on the back of his Adelaide Rams design).

What does everyone else think of this design feature?

 

[Scott Gourley's Lovechild]

Then there's the other issue - The Magpies side of the Wests Tigers club is represented by a magpie on the shoulder of the team jerseys.

Where's Stanley the Steeler on St George-Illawarra jerseys?

I think Gazf came up with an elegant solution by having a "back of jersey" logo for his designs - in the Dragons case, a cog representing the Illawarra side of the JV.

http://gazf.info/?p=1432

Sure it's not in ALL of his concept designs, but the idea of teams having a secondary logo on the back of the jerseys opens an extra marketing angle - especially in merchandising.

The back logo could either be a representation of the partner club in a joint venture (such as the Steelers cog), or a different version of the team mascot (eg bring back a leaping Panther on the front of Penrith's jersey, and have a Panther face on the back) or a monogram (I see Gazf uses an 'A' on the back of his Adelaide Rams design).

What does everyone else think of this design feature?

I think the word "Illawarra" at the base of the Dragons shield shows that the Illawarra part of the JV is well represented in the team. There really hasn't been any issue regarding the need for the old Steelers logo to appear on the jersey unlike the Magpie with the WT.

 

[Saint Doc]

Bob Millward said when the joint venture happened something along the lines of "if you'd told us 17 years ago we could have the most famous rugby league club in the world playing in the red v jersey in Wollongong, we wouldn't have said no"

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

The Saints - Steelers JV was the first and has been the most harmonious. The history of our juniors coming from there and the matching colours obviously made for a better fit than others.

Plus, we have money and the Steelers have the product. Perfect match and the best thing Saints ever did in my opinion. We would have been the Roosters MkII if we didn't look to expand. Super League nearly killed us and the demographics of the St George district have just changed so much. Look at the Dogs, not many local juniors for the same reasons. They have coin though. I believe we would have struggled.

The Illawarra has been good to us and vice versa. We are a perennially strong club, stacked with local talent and easily the best producers of NRL level talent for the NRL. Look how many guys who started with us are playing or have played elsewhere. You could just about name a 17 of current or recent NRL standard players that have come through Saints development pathways.

I don't mind the idea of the cog, but we wear the Illawarra kit regularly and play 6 games a year there and our facilities are based out of the Gong. I fail to see what else they need to make them feel a part of it.

The Red V has evolved at a time when we needed to. Couldn't have done it without Illawarra as we have and the Illawarra would now be a back water with no elite level team. WIN Stadium would have been condemned years ago and never been upgraded.

I commend both boards on the work they have done to get us to this point. Long may it continue.

 

[KiamaSaint]

I have to disagree with most of the other Dragons fans in this forum, I find it very hard to locate "Steelers" fans these days. What people don't realise is that many of us were already Dragon fans and adopted the Steelers as our local team. I get sick to death of all this talk about "Illawarra" fans this and that from people who make it sound like we are not legitimate Dragon fans. IMO that is more divisive than whether or not the alternative is the old Steelers jersey or not.

Which, by the way, the BHP Steeler jersey was awful in my opinion, the alternative hardly represents it. As far as I am concerned "red v is a part of me" and the alternative should be changed regularly to encourage more spending by the fans.

 

[flippikat]

I have to disagree with most of the other Dragons fans in this forum, I find it very hard to locate "Steelers" fans these days. What people don't realise is that many of us were already Dragon fans and adopted the Steelers as our local team. I get sick to death of all this talk about "Illawarra" fans this and that from people who make it sound like we are not legitimate Dragon fans. IMO that is more divisive than whether or not the alternative is the old Steelers jersey or not.

I suppose that considering that the Steelers were only around for about 2 decades in the top flight, and for the first half of their existence they were on (or near) the bottom of the table, that hooking up with a club that had a history of success had a huge appeal.

The fact that there were other synergies too - from team colours right through to Illawarra juniors playing for St George - made it easier to tone-down the Steelers element in the new venture.

There certainly doesn't seem to be the same push as there is from old Magpies fans to have their team's colours & logo recognised more in the Wests Tigers.

 

[KiamaSaint]

I suppose that considering that the Steelers were only around for about 2 decades in the top flight, and for the first half of their existence they were on (or near) the bottom of the table, that hooking up with a club that had a history of success had a huge appeal.

The fact that there were other synergies too - from team colours right through to Illawarra juniors playing for St George - made it easier to tone-down the Steelers element in the new venture.

There certainly doesn't seem to be the same push as there is from old Magpies fans to have their team's colours & logo recognised more in the Wests Tigers.

Absolutely, though I am only one fan.

 

[Saint Doc]

Absolutely, though I am only one fan.

Yeah but I echo what you're saying. There just isn't a pro-Steelers vibe out there.

People that are wanting more "Steelers" recognition aren't St George Illawarra fans. We are all (99%) very happy with things and don't want the home game split to change, don't want cog logos or Stanley the Steeler back.

Bare this in mind...the Steelers existed for 17 years. St George Illawarra are entering our 14th season. We've created our own history...the tradition and passion of St.george, the juniors and community of Wollongong. Perfect match.

Us old Saints fans enjoy going to WIN Stadium, love the juniors we produce, and campaigned for the Steelers heritage to be our alternate jersey.

Old Illawarra fans mostly wear their red v with pride and celebrate the traditions and history of St.george

It'd be like trying to convince the Titans to wear the grey jersey of the Seagulls. It's history now, everyone has moved on.

 

[Miller was a legend]

Come on, be fair dinkum you blokes, StGeorge raped and pillaged Illawarra. They are pacified with the odd switch to the Red Jersey, which by the way looks far better than that tampon RedV thing and a few games at the Gong. At a stadium that falls down in a strong wind. ( I guess that's better than the Oki Joki Council owned local park.

Your Leagues club is full of pokies and f**k all entertainment is put on for the fans ( it's a geriatric centre for the depositing of pension cheques into pokies. The joint is in disrepair.

Your CEO sticks his beak into everything footy related and won't buy a decent player, because the finances are screwed and your coach looks like Gilligan trying to save the SS Minow.

:sarcasm:

Having said all that, I like the Illawarra jersey.

 

[GAZF]

Regarding Steelers recognition, it appears that fans are content with what recognition the Steelers get, fair enough. My concept doesn't have a wordmark so the cog is a small nod to the area and short history without going overboard. It doesn't scream for attention but it sits there quietly in recognition, cant be a bad thing.

 

[Fire]

Adding to what everyone has said, I also think the creation of the "Illawarra Cutters" this season has added an even more Illawarra element to the JV, something that can only help in the future.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

Come on, be fair dinkum you blokes, StGeorge raped and pillaged Illawarra. They are pacified with the odd switch to the Red Jersey, which by the way looks far better than that tampon RedV thing and a few games at the Gong. At a stadium that falls down in a strong wind. ( I guess that's better than the Oki Joki Council owned local park.

Your Leagues club is full of pokies and f**k all entertainment is put on for the fans ( it's a geriatric centre for the depositing of pension cheques into pokies. The joint is in disrepair.

Your CEO sticks his beak into everything footy related and won't buy a decent player, because the finances are screwed and your coach looks like Gilligan trying to save the SS Minow.

:sarcasm:

Having said all that, I like the Illawarra jersey.

Gilligan had a chin. Pricey is nothing like him.

 

[Miller was a legend]

Gilligan had a chin. Pricey is nothing like him.

Bhahahaha.

Damn it Ronnie, you buggered the fishing trip again.

 

[Rex Terp]

The Dragons have always made decisions on alternate jerseys based on sales.

There is no broken relationship to be mended, no further recognition needed, and noones worried about it.

How about we get back to the Jersey, Logo, Sponsorship discussion, which I very much enjoy.

 

[sheepbender]

a better look at the Warriors heritage jersey.. Cant say Im a fan of the flax pattern.. Especially underneath the blue, they could have left it only on the black..