Discussion Teams Who Use Obvious Emblems & Those Who Don't

[emuboy]

Some sporting teams have readymade emblems for them to use. AFL club St. Kilda is known as the Saints, WAFL club Swan Districts are the Swans and Bendigo Football League team Kangaroo Flat are known as the Kangaroos. Then there's AFL team Hawthorn and former SANFL club Woodville, where the emblems of Hawks and Woodpeckers respectively were obvious choices due to the suburb names.

Other teams however do not go with a readymade nickname. Tasmanian club Penguin is known as the Two Blues, rather than the Penguins like the long-defunct Brighton VFA team. In Metropolitan Melbourne Airport West are known as the Eagles, and while Eagles admittedly do fly one might think they would have gone for a more aviation-related emblem like Bombers or Jets, and oddly enough they do were the same colors as NFL team the New York Jets. Victorian Country team Bunyip are known as the Bulldogs rather than the Bunyips, while up on the Queensland Gold Coast Labrador are the Tigers, rather than the Labradors or another canine sort of emblem.

Which other sporting teams do you know of like these? Or have you ever encountered a team where the emblem did not quite fit? For example, a team called the Sharks, Dolphins, Marlins or Stingrays that were based miles inland? A team with an emblem that does not fit the history of the area, such as one relating to mining when mining has never been a part of that region? Or colors that didn't seem right for the emblem? Black and gold/yellow teams are often called the Tigers and black and white teams the Magpies, but have you ever seen a team wearing red and blue jumpers calling itself the Tigers, or a team in green and gold jumpers called the Magpies?

 

[Nickimus Rex]

I think a lot of team names/mascots are odd choices.

The Giants, for one of the smallest supporter bases and teams in general, is an odd nickname to choose. The Suns meanwhile perfectly embodies the lifestyle and environment of the Gold Coast (even if it is not everyones favourite name choice).

Not a name per se, but i always found it odd that the Crows weren't just black (like a blackout kit) or a very deep dark blue like their mascot.

Also i've never seen a Lion with blue on it (Detroit) or even red or navy (Fitzroy/Brisbane)

 

[emuboy]

I think a lot of team names/mascots are odd choices.

The Giants, for one of the smallest supporter bases and teams in general, is an odd nickname to choose. The Suns meanwhile perfectly embodies the lifestyle and environment of the Gold Coast (even if it is not everyones favourite name choice).

I had always thought that the Giants were chosen because of the Blue Mountains found west of Sydney and through New South Wales to the ACT, this obviously being the Giants' area. Plus it alliterates. Giants would also have worked for the Gold Coast, being alliterative and going with the high rises and skyscrapers found in the coastal suburbs of the Gold Coast like Surfers Paradise, Southport and Broadbeach.

 

[Nickimus Rex]

I had always thought that the Giants were chosen because of the Blue Mountains found west of Sydney and through New South Wales to the ACT, this obviously being the Giants' area. Plus it alliterates. Giants would also have worked for the Gold Coast, being alliterative and going with the high rises and skyscrapers found in the coastal suburbs of the Gold Coast like Surfers Paradise, Southport and Broadbeach.

I think that would have worked if the giants had in any way integrated mountain imagery into their identity, or even use blue as a main colour (as a subtle nod).

Any city has skyscrapers though, but the gold coast iconography is synonymous with the Sun

 

[Zer0]

St. George would have made more sense being called the Knights than the Dragons

 

[Fizzler]

I still maintain that it should have been the Gold Coast Stingrays and the Western Sydney Wolves.

 

[Speck]

St. George would have made more sense being called the Knights than the Dragons

Or the Saints

 

[acm21]

Or the Saints

St George is a dragon slayer. I believe it is quite common for teams based around the St George name to be Dragons. Obviously would have become more common within the St George region to be Dragons.

Not sure where the Newcastle knights comes from. Newtown as the Jets, along with Illawarra as the Steelers are obviously obivous.

A lot of teams in an around balmain and leichhardt are the tigers, while if you move to ashfield and the surrounding suburb you get a lot of Magpies and/or wear black and white.

 

[Prison bar Pete]

Some sporting teams have readymade emblems for them to use. AFL club St. Kilda is known as the Saints, WAFL club Swan Districts are the Swans and Bendigo Football League team Kangaroo Flat are known as the Kangaroos. Then there's AFL team Hawthorn and former SANFL club Woodville, where the emblems of Hawks and Woodpeckers respectively were obvious choices due to the suburb names.

Other teams however do not go with a readymade nickname. Tasmanian club Penguin is known as the Two Blues, rather than the Penguins like the long-defunct Brighton VFA team. In Metropolitan Melbourne Airport West are known as the Eagles, and while Eagles admittedly do fly one might think they would have gone for a more aviation-related emblem like Bombers or Jets, and oddly enough they do were the same colors as NFL team the New York Jets. Victorian Country team Bunyip are known as the Bulldogs rather than the Bunyips, while up on the Queensland Gold Coast Labrador are the Tigers, rather than the Labradors or another canine sort of emblem.

Which other sporting teams do you know of like these? Or have you ever encountered a team where the emblem did not quite fit? For example, a team called the Sharks, Dolphins, Marlins or Stingrays that were based miles inland? A team with an emblem that does not fit the history of the area, such as one relating to mining when mining has never been a part of that region? Or colors that didn't seem right for the emblem? Black and gold/yellow teams are often called the Tigers and black and white teams the Magpies, but have you ever seen a team wearing red and blue jumpers calling itself the Tigers, or a team in green and gold jumpers called the Magpies?

Kangarilla are the Double Blues despite having a kangaroo on their jumper (informally called the Kangas though I think)
Deer Park are the Lions (could have gone with The Stags you'd reckon!)
Ramco Roosters (car'n!)
Also, an example of a team that has a nickname that you normally associate with other colours / designs, creating a bit of cognitive dissonance; my hometown team Brighton Bombers (SA) are black & yellow. When I was a kid they had Glenelg's jumper (like Richmond's) and I reckon we called them the Tigers. The rugby club at Brighton Oval are the Tigers, so I'll take that as proof!

 

[aCunningPlan]

Clubs near me have the opposite problem where their nicknames are lazy bordering on comical like the Dunnstown Towners and the Creswick Wickers.

 

[just_kick_it]

Clubs near me have the opposite problem where their nicknames are lazy bordering on comical like the Dunnstown Towners and the Creswick Wickers.

Edwardstown Towns/Townies

 

[The Victorian]

Tassie Devils would be one for a future Tasmanian AFL team similarly Darwin Crocodiles

 

[El_Scorcho]

Port entering the AFL as the Pirates was, is and will forever be the most obvious and best choice.

Maritime themed
Marauders from a different league
A raucous and rowdy supporter base
The Jolly Roger is already black and white
Adding teal would have worked with the theme because of the sea.
Alliteration
A very, very easy theme to work with for marketing to adults and kids. Think of the Sea Shanties!

Instead we went with the very 90s and very vague Power. And it's not a great name, we don't market around it that much anymore because of that.

 

[troybe]

Dandenong Stingrays
My Gravatt Vultures
Wilston Grange Gorillas
Noarlunga Shoes



Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

 

[Nickimus Rex]

Dandenong Stingrays
My Gravatt Vultures
Wilston Grange Gorillas
Noarlunga Shoes



Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

I played for the gorillas as a kid (briefly), there were definitely some silverbacked gentlemen there

 

[rabbitoh21]

St George is a dragon slayer. I believe it is quite common for teams based around the St George name to be Dragons. Obviously would have become more common within the St George region to be Dragons.

Not sure where the Newcastle knights comes from. Newtown as the Jets, along with Illawarra as the Steelers are obviously obivous.

A lot of teams in an around balmain and leichhardt are the tigers, while if you move to ashfield and the surrounding suburb you get a lot of Magpies and/or wear black and white.

St. George's nickname was at one time the Dragonslayers but this was condensed to Dragons over time. Saints remains a very colloquial name for them but is never used in any near-official capacity, except that the club run out to "The Saints Are Coming" as performed by U2 and Green Day, and sing "When The Saints Go Marching In" as their victory song.

Knights and the red and blue were fan choices I believe - Newcastle's traditional sporting colours were emerald and cinnamon. Probably has something to do with being "men of steel" or something. Noteworthy is that they entered shortly after Illawarra's steelers yet Newcastle also had/has steel and coal works like the Illawarra.

Balmain and Leichhardt have a lot of black and gold - this goes back to the union team in the 1800s. Always thought Balmain Bees made more sense than Tigers considering the stripes. APIA Leichhardt are also known as Tigers but wear blue and maroon. In England, the Leicester Tigers rugby club wear green and red and have done for many years.

Canterbury's teams have been known at various times as "Berries", Parramatta are the Eels [Burramattagal is thought to be derived from the Aboriginal word for 'place where the eels lie down' to breed (within the Parramatta River).], Easts Rugby are the Beasties, etc. That said, South Sydney, based in Redfern, which was apparently the old name for a waratah (the red fern), were nicknamed after the rabbit sellers not the state flower despite the colourful resemblance.

 

[Nickimus Rex]

St. George's nickname was at one time the Dragonslayers but this was condensed to Dragons over time. Saints remains a very colloquial name for them but is never used in any near-official capacity, except that the club run out to "The Saints Are Coming" as performed by U2 and Green Day, and sing "When The Saints Go Marching In" as their victory song.

Knights and the red and blue were fan choices I believe - Newcastle's traditional sporting colours were emerald and cinnamon. Probably has something to do with being "men of steel" or something. Noteworthy is that they entered shortly after Illawarra's steelers yet Newcastle also had/has steel and coal works like the Illawarra.

Balmain and Leichhardt have a lot of black and gold - this goes back to the union team in the 1800s. Always thought Balmain Bees made more sense than Tigers considering the stripes. APIA Leichhardt are also known as Tigers but wear blue and maroon. In England, the Leicester Tigers rugby club wear green and red and have done for many years.

Canterbury's teams have been known at various times as "Berries", Parramatta are the Eels [Burramattagal is thought to be derived from the Aboriginal word for 'place where the eels lie down' to breed (within the Parramatta River).], Easts Rugby are the Beasties, etc. That said, South Sydney, based in Redfern, which was apparently the old name for a waratah (the red fern), were nicknamed after the rabbit sellers not the state flower despite the colourful resemblance.

I remember hearing a story about south Sydney plays actually having to earn extra cash by selling rabbits on the street themselves (before pay existed for players) unsure how true that is

 

[BrainOfMorbius]

Giants would also have worked for the Gold Coast, being alliterative and going with the high rises and skyscrapers found in the coastal suburbs of the Gold Coast like Surfers Paradise, Southport and Broadbeach.

Gold Coast Giants would never have had a chance of happening - that was (one of) the name(s) of a failed NSWRL/ARL/NRL team.

 

[Nickimus Rex]

Gold Coast Giants would never have had a chance of happening - that was (one of) the name(s) of a failed NSWRL/ARL/NRL team.

Wasn't that the Chargers? or was there another?

 

[acm21]

Wasn't that the Chargers? or was there another?

All as part of the same team. They started as the Giants (being based in Tweed Heads), then changing to the seagulls,, the gladiators (although apparently never played under that name) and then finally the Chargers. Not bad for a team that existed for 10 years.

Also Apia went by tigers as part of the de-ethnicfication of soccer clubs by the ffa. They were the first to revert back to the traditional name and logo, although I think the juniors are still currently going by the tigers.

 

[Nickimus Rex]

All as part of the same team. They started as the Giants (being based in Tweed Heads), then changing to the seagulls,, the gladiators (although apparently never played under that name) and then finally the Chargers. Not bad for a team that existed for 10 years.

Also Apia went by tigers as part of the de-ethnicfication of soccer clubs by the ffa. They were the first to revert back to the traditional name and logo, although I think the juniors are still currently going by the tigers.

Oh lol just found the wiki



On a side note, I never understood why the SQ Crushers were based in north Brisbane (their clubhouse still exists around Wilston i think), when sugar cane and the iconography of the team (sugar cane trains) are so far north.

 

[rabbitoh21]

I remember hearing a story about south Sydney plays actually having to earn extra cash by selling rabbits on the street themselves (before pay existed for players) unsure how true that is

That's the story - don't think it's ever been fully confirmed or debunked. That's also apparently the story of the jerseys - they'd wear green to camouflage with the grass and the red was the blood stains from killing/skinning them. The South Sydney union team were, by at least 1902, wearing the now famous uneven cardinal and myrtle hoops. When the RL side launched in 1908, they went with even hoops to distinguish themselves from the RU side, before reverting to the now-famous strip the next season. Apart from spells in WWII (the V), the 50s/60s (the saddle) and the 80s (the Minties), Souths have worn that design ever since. Probably the design that has been worn, in one form or another, the most throughout the history of first grade Australian rugby league.

Wasn't that the Chargers? or was there another?

Gold Coast-Tweed Heads Giants were the expansion team that joined the same year as the Broncos (1988) wearing black, grey and white (truly inspirational). Later became the Seagulls in black, white and red, named after the eponymous leagues club. They then became the Gladiators in 1996(?) after the license was purchased by some millionaire and played as such in the World Sevens wearing the now-infamous teal, purple, gold, white and grey, before the ARL stepped in and stripped the bloke of the licence and took over the club. They then went with the name Chargers by the time of the premiership seasons but basically kept the same jersey with minor alterations.

Also Apia went by tigers as part of the de-ethnicfication of soccer clubs by the ffa. They were the first to revert back to the traditional name and logo, although I think the juniors are still currently going by the tigers.

Very correct and completely forgot about it. They were Leichhardt Tigers in juniors way before the FFA existed though so I think they were one of the early teams to change during the NSL days.

On a side note, I never understood why the SEQ Crushers were based in north Brisbane (their clubhouse still exists around Wilston i think), when sugar cane and the iconography of the team (sugar cane trains) are so far north.

The Crushers were a complete mistake and a kneejerk reaction to Ribot's Super League proposals - NSWRL/ARL could not afford to not have a club from Brisbane in their premiership, similar to how SL launched the Hunter Mariners because they needed the Hunter. Nothing about them made any sense. The 90s were a god-awful time for rugby league in general.

 

[Nickimus Rex]

That's the story - don't think it's ever been fully confirmed or debunked. That's also apparently the story of the jerseys - they'd wear green to camouflage with the grass and the red was the blood stains from killing/skinning them. The South Sydney union team were, by at least 1902, wearing the now famous uneven cardinal and myrtle hoops. When the RL side launched in 1908, they went with even hoops to distinguish themselves from the RU side, before reverting to the now-famous strip the next season. Apart from spells in WWII (the V), the 50s/60s (the saddle) and the 80s (the Minties), Souths have worn that design ever since. Probably the design that has been worn, in one form or another, the most throughout the history of first grade Australian rugby league.


Gold Coast-Tweed Heads Giants were the expansion team that joined the same year as the Broncos (1988) wearing black, grey and white (truly inspirational). Later became the Seagulls in black, white and red, named after the eponymous leagues club. They then became the Gladiators in 1996(?) after the license was purchased by some millionaire and played as such in the World Sevens wearing the now-infamous teal, purple, gold, white and grey, before the ARL stepped in and stripped the bloke of the licence and took over the club. They then went with the name Chargers by the time of the premiership seasons but basically kept the same jersey with minor alterations.


Very correct and completely forgot about it. They were Leichhardt Tigers in juniors way before the FFA existed though so I think they were one of the early teams to change during the NSL days.


The Crushers were a complete mistake and a kneejerk reaction to Ribot's Super League proposals - NSWRL/ARL could not afford to not have a club from Brisbane in their premiership, similar to how SL launched the Hunter Mariners because they needed the Hunter. Nothing about them made any sense. The 90s were a god-awful time for rugby league in general.

I was probably too young, but i do remember a grey and black seagulls kit (i think). I also think the Crushers had a super-unique style and logo, would've been cool to see it stick around in the main leagues.

Super League was so s**t, but it did give us the uber-90s team designs

 

[caloschwaby]

Think of the Sea Shanties!

Forget the PBs, this is what we've been missing all along

 

[CollarJazzKnee]

Can’t stand geelongs nickname. Cats is so meek.