player names on jerseys

[salivor]

True but had they been wearing their own number, that would've been even more meaningful for them and the players. The number can become much more identifiable across the league and player identification on the field becomes so much easier. As it stands, that number 7 changed hands so many times, it loses its value.

For example, internationally, the number 23 is forever associated with Michael Jordan while to a lesser degree, 99 is Wayne Gretzky's and 66 is Mario Lemieux's.

Number 7 to a Broncos supporter may mean Alfie Langer but it doesn't have the same level of association across the NRL because Andrew Johns, Brett Kimmorley, Matt Orford, Craig Gower, and a host of others all wear number 7. You cannot retire a number out of respect as well like they do in north american sports leagues.

Maybe it's just different mindsets between Australia and North America.

Of course if they'd had another number that would've been just as special but the way it is now, it's a privalige to wear the number 7 at Brisbane. You don't want to retire that number and it doesn't hold any less value because other players at other clubs wear it. You ask Seymour, he wants to be a Bronco for life and he wants to play halfback, he wouldn't want any other number on his back, it's an inspiration to live up to the great names that have worn it in the past.

I think it's sad that they retire numbers in North America. I know it's a mark of respect but imagine the inspiration it would give to players to someday wear the famous number 23 in basketball, to walk in the shoes of history. Thats what Rugby Leagues numbers present to our modern day players. When Lockyer now pulls on the number 6 for QLD he's carrying on the legacy of King Wally and trying to add something of his own to that number, thats something special IMO. We're continually trying to Americanise sport in this part of the world, lets hold on to some tradition.

 

[salivor]

Also if we're so keen to give players an individual number. Why not keep their jersey numbers but give them an individual number of when they represented their particular team like the Australian cricket team do and print that on the breast of their jersey. IMO knowing your the number 400 and something player to play for QLD or NSW is much more special than having something like 65 on the back of your jersey.

 

[Thunderstruck]

that sounds more like an employee number though :lol:

Like I said regarding numbering systems, maybe it's just different mindsets between Australia and North America. Over there, numbers have not been associated with positions for a very long time while here it's a strong tradition.

I still would like to see player names on jerseys. Top tier players are easily identified when you've been following the game for a short while but for teams like Newcastle and Bulldogs who keep introducing new players every few weeks, it's hard to tell who's who.

For example, I can't tell Matt Rieck from Liam Fulton or even Bryce Gibbs because I don't follow the Tigers close enough and I don't watch every game every week. For a casual or semi regular watcher, player names on jerseys are important.

 

[Big Bunny]

100% Agree.

Who can remember Steve Walters running around for the Cowboys with number 42 on his back? It did not make sense!

The NFL has something like what you are reccomending but they also have a sqaud of about 35 players for each game, we only ever use 17 and we just don't have the need for a new numbering system.

I see where you're coming from, but NRL clubs effectively have a much larger squad. American football can have 50 blokes on the sideline, but the NRL draws from a 1st grade squad of 25 and also everyone in PL and JF grades.

I don't care if a guy is a 2 or a 3, they are still backs and these days most players have played in positions that aren't their no.1 preferences.

Wing, centre, fullback - 20-49
Forwards - 50-99
Hooker, 5/8, halfback - 1-19

So for example with Souths you might have:

30) Todd Polglase
33) Brad Watts
49) Shannon Hegarty
32) Yileen Gordon
44) Adam MacDougall
2) John Sutton
7) Ben Walker
77) Peter Cusack
21) Trent Young
80) Scott Logan
78) David Fa’alogo
91) Luke Stuart
73) Ashley Harrison ©

Reserves

38) Mark Minichiello
84) Scott Geddes
87) Shannon McPherson
98) Manase Manuokafoa


A guy with numbers at or over 50 you automatically know is a forward and anything below is a back, but with the guys running the show all lower numbers under 20.


I don't think we need a new numbering system, but if we were to adopt one that's how I'd do it and not like in Superleague where numbers are meaningless.


I also know it's not an Australian mindset issue, just that what we have currently works well. Because AFL, basketball and other sports played here all use squad numbers without a problem.

 

[ozjet1]

Well I forgot to add that I don't like the idea of players not wearing their properly numbered jersey. Even when a player is out with injury I iwhs they'd just give the replacement a proper number.

I mean, really, how hard is it right now to identify players? It this really a barrier to new fans? If you are unable to work out over a couple of weeks which player is which then how exactly are you finding your way to the ground unaided?

James.

i'm sure most avid supporters of club rugby league know the players. player names are printed on the back of State of Origin jerseys to cater for the entertainment set who will only which a handful of league games a year (3 of them being SOO). but, perhaps it will help the walk up patron on the weekend who don't keep up with the ins-&-outs of the weekly league. this is only an add-on benefit. personalised numbers & player names printed on jerseys IMO will greatly enhance the earning capability of the clubs & the competition in general.

further to your second point, do knowledgeable league supporters need a number on a player's back to tell him/her what position that player's filling? do you need a number 9 on buderus's back each week to point out to you he's playing hooker/dummy-half this week, or the 7 on Johns to indicate he is at HB. ofcourse not, we can rely on a player's positioning/role on the park for this. the number system i've used as an example still holds on to this principle though, albeit, with different numbers.

 

[nat]

i would hate it if players had their own number! it would be too much like AFL and what happens if a player has his set number and moves to a club where someone else already has that number?? who gets to keep it? i think itd be terrible to watch players run around the field with numbers >22 on their backs. I love the idea of putting players names on the back of the jerseys but if it means giving players their own numbers... then i hate it the idea.

 

[ozjet1]

Wing, centre, fullback - 20-49
Forwards - 50-99
Hooker, 5/8, halfback - 1-19
A guy with numbers at or over 50 you automatically know is a forward and anything below is a back, but with the guys running the show all lower numbers under 20.

not much different to what I advocated, just a larger number set. i think it could border meaningless if you try to incorporate a larger number set.

I don't think we need a new numbering system, but if we were to adopt one that's how I'd do it and not like in Superleague where numbers are meaningless.

that's right. superleague numbering was not regulated, and i'm sure they didn't print player names on jerseys.

 

[Thunderstruck]

with personal numbers, if a player moves to another club where someone already holds the number, he'll have to get a new number unless they agree on changing the designations. that's what happened to david beckham when he moved to real madrid.

 

[salivor]

that sounds more like an employee number though :lol:

Like I said regarding numbering systems, maybe it's just different mindsets between Australia and North America. Over there, numbers have not been associated with positions for a very long time while here it's a strong tradition.

I still would like to see player names on jerseys. Top tier players are easily identified when you've been following the game for a short while but for teams like Newcastle and Bulldogs who keep introducing new players every few weeks, it's hard to tell who's who.

For example, I can't tell Matt Rieck from Liam Fulton or even Bryce Gibbs because I don't follow the Tigers close enough and I don't watch every game every week. For a casual or semi regular watcher, player names on jerseys are important.

I wouldn't mind player names on the jerseys but can you imagine the amount of time and money it would take? Just think about the amount of late changes there are and particularly reserve and utility players who are swapping jersey numbers all the time. Also we're seeing a hell of a lot of players having to swap jerseys mid game these days due to the blood bin. It's a bit of a waste of time IMO, watch a game for 20 minutes and you'll quickly pick up on whos who.

 

[Thunderstruck]

good point, I didn't think of it that way.

 

[RainMan]

nope it didnt work in superleague, wont work again. the tradition is a big thing and the numbers in league have a tradition. You hear of people filling the "number 7" at parra as an honour, not as just another position. you hear people proud to wear the number 6 for qld after wally.

Sums it all up.:thumb

 

[mightybears]

Plus we wear jerseys, not guernseys...

disagree with names, but why do we call them jerseys and not guernseys?
why not sarks?
why the obession with the channel isles?

 

[Thunderstruck]

I find guernsey to be an AFL-adopted term. It doesn't seem to be used anywhere else. It's much more common to call sports shirts/uniform top as jerseys.

 

[Misty Bee]

Utterly rediculous idea.

In Rugby League, the numbers mean POSITIONS. This is because of the varied and defined roles each position demands. Therefore, sitting up at Telstra or Suncorp viewing a team of 13 dark haired men can se who is supposed to be doing what.

Parra fans had the embarrassment of seeing our prop becoming playmaker last year (Pearson). It's easy to see this error if the playmaker, rather than wearing 7, is wearing 10.

The Oz cricket team tried this for one dayers. Shane Warn was so taken aback with the massive depth of Australian Sporting tradition that he close 23, reputedly Micheal Jordan's number.

Friggin Jordan. WTF?????

You would have the same mentality as my mate who'se phone number is his girlfriends measurenments.

As for the names - fine. However, for a meagre sum you can buy Big League - which lists all the players.

I don't think we need the help, as much as the sports that do (ie Onion).

If Seppo sportsfans need help identifying players, it's their problem.

Regardless of Sterlo's legacy, the No. 7 jumper at Parramatta should only mean "first grade halfback".

And finally, my own experience must be told - when buying a Blues jumper in the late 1980's, I got a free number, AND name. I chose the number 6. And the name I chose was....

"HENDRIX"

We should NEVER allow tradition to be fiddled with.

 

[gottabegood]

i would hate it if players had their own number! it would be too much like AFL and what happens if a player has his set number and moves to a club where someone else already has that number?? who gets to keep it? i think itd be terrible to watch players run around the field with numbers >22 on their backs. I love the idea of putting players names on the back of the jerseys but if it means giving players their own numbers... then i hate it the idea.

Re above, what happens in in State and country selection. You might have two or more players with the same number playing in the same team. Or would Rep games revert to the traditional system?

 

[Bomber]

I'm pretty certain that the Super League jerseys did have the players names on the back. When the NRL was created, Melbourne was the only team that continued with that concept.

The idea (names on backs) is worthy of consideration. Surely there must be some way to afix a fabric strip with the players name on the back of a jersey without it being ripped off or damaged?

Failing that, the idea of naming your Top 25 at the start of the season, and then giving a number for each new players thereon, has some merit IMO. Or, allocating a number for the year based on the order of your apperance e.g. the top 17 for Game 1 are given #1-17, and #18 given to the next new player in the next game etc. etc.

Just for my own amusement, if such a system was in place for the 2004 season, the team that lost to the Roosters in the preliminary final was:

18. Matthew Bowen
1. Ty Williams
3. Josh Hannay
4. Paul Bowman
5. Matt Sing
14. David Myles
17. Nathan Fien
8. Paul Rauhihi
21. Aaron Payne
23. Shane Tronc
13. Luke O'Donnell
27. Steve Southern
6. Travis Norton

2. Rod Jensen
19. Glenn Morrison
9. Leigh McWilliams
10. Mitchell Sargent

I want my #23 jersey now!!!

 

[mightybears]

I find guernsey to be an AFL-adopted term. It doesn't seem to be used anywhere else. It's much more common to call sports shirts/uniform top as jerseys.

yeah the g word seems to be an afl thing, i was wondering about the derivation of the 2 terms in general

 

[Mr Saab]

Plus we wear jerseys, not guernseys...

brisbane wear T shirts...

 

[Misty Bee]

Thanks for that rivetting addition to this thread, Charlie.

 

[Thunderstruck]

brisbane wear T shirts...

and nba and afl players wear singlets
the yellow jersey in tour de france is a t-shirt as well.

as for guernsey vs jersey, click the links. They're practically the same in the context of sports but AFL people like to call theirs guernsey instead. The only ones in the world who do that I know of.