The NSW Blues have caused an interesting debate within the NRL community with the use of their ‘away’ kit which will be worn for Game I in State of Origin played in Adelaide.
Since 2019, NSW has produced a jersey with navy blue on it twice and have since received a formal request from the NRL to ditch the kit for a traditional sky-blue outfit.
Despite it being a neutral venue for both sides, NSW’s choice to wear an away kit and one that typically represents the colour of Victoria had SEN’s Andrew Voss up in arms pleading with the NSWRL to permanently ditch the idea.
“I’m very much in the sky-blue camp, I can’t believe we’re doing it (navy blue jersey),” Voss told SENZ Mornings.
“I think it’s ludicrous to say we need an alternate strip for State of Origin, it’s an away strip, well hang on then every they play in Brisbane it’s an away game, if that’s how you’re going to treat it.
“So, no, I’m a stickler for tradition, in this case, Queensland wears Maroon, NSW wears sky blue, that’s what they wore for Game I in 1980, that’s what they should be wearing 43 years on, it’s that simple.
“Marketing people, stick it in your pipe and smoke it, let’s just go with the one jersey, that’s what we want people to aspire to… it should be the sky blue; you wear it as a kid, you buy it as a fan and one day you maybe wear it representing your state.”
SEN NRL expert Matty Johns agreed with Voss’ sentiment but stated his little care factor in the decision to step away from the sky blue for just one game.
“I do like classic designs…. the Newcastle Knights 10th anniversary of the club and they said, ‘We want to re-invent the jersey, and there were all these different designs,” Johns said on SEN 1170 The Round Up.
“I took the AC Milan and Barcelona jersey to the club and said, ‘Go simple, go with the classic design that can stay the test of time’, there’s a reason why great clubs like Barcelona, Juventus, Collingwood, they just haven’t changed.
“I would prefer if NSW (wore) sky blue but look I’m not going to lose sleep on it.”
NSW will don the navy blue jerseys on Wednesday night for Game I in State of Origin live from Adelaide Oval.