BY STAFF WRITERS

What is in a logo? Lots apparently!

Imagine the Melbourne Mavericks instead of the Storm or Auckland Bittermen than the Warriors?

Here’s a bit of history around footy clubs and their emblems.

SYDNEY ROOSTERS

The identity change for Eastern Suburbs began in 1954 when Easts adopted the French rugby league jersey before the club became ‘Roosters’ a few years later.

From roosters.com.au:

“With the Club’s origins in the Eastern Suburbs, and with the sun rising in the east, coinciding with the Roosters’ crow at dawn, having it as the Club mascot seems like an obvious choice.

“Further evidence of this connection is seen with Ashton’s reference of the older Easts supporter base being known as ‘sun-risers’, and until the 1970s The Rugby League News magazine often referred to Easts ‘From Where The Sun Rises’”

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS

The rabbit logo didn’t appear on the South Sydney jersey until 1959.

From ssralmanac.com:

“A Rabbit-oh is a person who would hunt and trap rabbits. He would then cart his catch back to town… and then sell his catch in the street to his call.”

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS

From Curtis Woodward’s article on the81stminute.com:

“A national survey of the people of New Zealand was sent out asking them to vote on what the incoming Auckland ARL team should be called. Options included Volcanoes, Warriors, Pirates, Orcas, Hawks and Bittermen (after their major sponsor). Of the 25,000 people that voted, 75% selected ‘Warriors’. Seeing as it’s rugby league and its soul is usually sold to the highest bidder, we’re shocked they didn’t go with the ‘Auckland Bittermen’”

BRISBANE BRONCOS

From Wikipedia:

“It had originally been planned for the Brisbane Broncos to adopt a logo incorporating both a kangaroo and a stylised “Q” which had been featured in the logo for the Queensland Rugby League for many years.

“However, with the Australian national rugby league team also known as the Kangaroos, this was deemed inappropriate and conflicting. The state flower the Cooktown Orchid and the Poinsettia which had long been used by Brisbane representative teams in the Bulimba Cup and midweek knockout competitions was also ruled out, along with other Australian animals such as the brumby, possum, galah and the kookaburra, which was used on Brisbane’s Kookaburra Queen paddleships.

“Having wanted to continue with the use of alliteration for local sporting teams such as the Brisbane Bullets and Brisbane Bears (later the Brisbane Lions), the club’s directors eventually decided on the nickname Broncos.[8] This name was chosen by Barry Maranta because he was a fan of an NFL team, the Denver Broncos.”

GOLD COAST TITANS

From Curtis Woodward’s article on the81stminute.com:

“Officials of the proposed Gold Coast franchise appeared on The Footy Show in 2005 announcing its new colours and logo – a horrible looking jade, orange and white jersey with the dolphin as its logo.

“Thankfully, QRL club Redcliffe (also known as the Dolphins) weren’t too impressed and threatened legal action. When the NRL announced Gold Coast as the 16th NRL club ahead of Central Coast and Wellington, the organisation was rebranded to the ‘Titans’”

PARRAMATTA EELS

From 1000logos.net:

“It was only in the 1970s that Parramatta adopted its first official mascot. Several years earlier, in the mid-1960s, the team got its current name, the Parramatta Eels.

“The reason for choosing this word was pretty transparent for anyone familiar with the history of the Parramatta District. The name “Parramatta” was actually taken from the Aboriginal dialect, where it meant literally “a place where the Eels dwell.” The word was suggested by Peter Frilingos, a rather well-known rugby league journalist, who lived in Sydney.”

MELBOURNE STORM

From Curtis Woodward’s article on the81stminute.com:

“The ‘Storm’ brand is now synonymous with the Victorian capital and the club is one of the most powerful of any code in the country. Premierships, a legendary coach and a litany of international and State of Origin players. Melbourne’s Storm is a juggernaut that somehow seems to improve every single year. But they could have looked a whole lot different if it wasn’t for News Limited’s Rupert Murdoch.

“The ‘Melbourne Mavericks’ was put to Murdoch in a marketing meeting and he quickly shot the suggestion down as it was “too American”. They eventually went with the Storm and won a premiership in just their second season.”