If you managed to watch the Anzac Day showdown between South Sydney and Melbourne Storm on Thursday evening, it’s understandable if you struggled to identify the Rabbitohs.
Souths had been seeking their initial victory since defeating Bulldogs with a rather close score of 20-16 during the 4th Round; however, any aspiration of securing another win was snuffed out during the first half against the Storm.
The first 40 minutes saw Melbourne wreak havoc on the field, with Xavier Coates delivering a hat-trick before he was forced off the pitch due to a hamstring injury.
The Storm secured an uncontestable lead of 32-4 at the halfway mark, due to superior performances by Cameron Munster, Harry Grant, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona.
A glimmer of spirit shone through from the Rabbitohs in the latter half, but was not enough to prevent them from plunging to a loss of 54-20.
During the third NRL match on Anzac Day, the Storm graced the field wearing a special commemorative jersey in shades of purple and black and adorned with a red poppy on the chest.
However, the Rabbitohs appeared almost unrecognisable. Their signature red and green were only visible on their socks, and their characteristic jersey had given way to a special, mostly white and navy blue variation.
This new look sparked bewilderment among rugby league enthusiasts, with many drawing comparisons to the North Queensland Cowboys kit.
The Mole from Channel Nine’s sports show responded to the Rabbitohs‘ jersey: “Sorry, but really can’t appreciate this Souths jersey … needs to incorporate a little red & green … that’s what the Bunnies are all about.”
Several fans expressed their confusion, with one saying that the Rabbitohs‘ new jersey colour palette prompted a strong association with the Cowboys.
Another reviewer criticised: “The Souths jerseys are horrible. They resemble the Cowboys too much. Why deviate from tradition?”
A comment even humorously suggested: “I wonder if the Rabbitohs sporting Cowboy jerseys will improve their gameplay.”
Someone else simply stated: “Forgot Rabbitohs were sporting that terrible ANZAC jersey.”
Earlier this week, it was confirmed by South Sydney that their team would don the unique Navy-inspired jersey for the Anzac Round, marking their third continuous year in partnership with the Royal Australian Navy.
The club shared that the different outfit symbolises their deep-rooted commitment to upholding the shared values with the Royal Australian Navy, such as teamwork, high performance, and securing victories.
Also, they mentioned that the 2024 ANZAC Jersey takes inspiration from Navy’s ‘sailor suits’ ceremonial attire, resembling the uniforms that were typical of Royal Australian Navy personnel during the Second World War.
Moreover, a $5 donation will be made to Keeping Watch for each Rabbitohs ANZAC jersey sold. This is a charitable fund established to provide financial aid to Royal Australian Navy serving members and their families who are facing tough financial circumstances.
It is increasingly becoming a common practice for NRL and AFL teams to wear specific Anzac Round commemorative jerseys. However, last year’s Wests Tigers situation instigated debates about whether the Anzac jerseys were becoming too commercialised and raised questions about the destination of jersey sales proceeds.