Back in July 2005, the eight Hyundai A-League clubs unveiled their kits in a shopping centre in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. Having watched the teams contest the Club World Championship Qualifying tournament in temporary shirts, most fans fell in love with their teams’ shiny new outfits at first sight.

Yet there was some consternation in the audience. ‘They are too similar!’ some cried. ‘What about the away kits?!’ others shouted. ‘Queensland Roar’s shirt is making my eyes bleed!’ another was heard to say.



With such a limited time prior to season kick-off back then, the clubs, the FFA and Reebok’s achievement in producing all eight home and away strips was significant. However, the time frame did not allow for more subtle variations in the strips, nor significant alterations to the away kits, which were all predominantly white.

It’s been a year and a half since the unveiling, so The Full90 thought it was time to get the latest from the land of nylon mesh and natural necklines.



The Big V
The Hyundai A-League is unusual in that the same manufacturer, Reebok, provides strips to all the clubs. Where teams in leagues overseas wear uniforms bearing several different brands, the Hyundai A-League and FFA’s desire for efficiency in developing the clubs’ strips, as well as the highest product quality, led to the competition-wide deal.

Having received feedback from the clubs and their fans, Reebok has already begun updating the range, beginning with the away strips this season. “Basically the kits change every two years. The clubs have the option of changing them or keeping them the same,” Reebok Australia Business Licensing Manager Tracy Novak says. “This season the teams were allowed to change their away strip. Five nominated for it, including Melbourne Victory.”

The new Melbourne Victory away shirt bears a bold white V on a grey (“silver”, according to the marketing) and navy base. It is not only the most distinctive away strip in the competition, it is also the first example of the clubs developing unique branding on their playing strip.

The ‘V’ design is associated more with aussie rules or rugby, but is an image with which the Melbourne Victory club is keen to identify. “They were very big on their V! I don’t think it mattered about what else was on the garment,
as long as we had the V on there,” Novak recalls.

Reproduced from TheFull90 – the official matchday magazine of the Hyundai A-League www.a-league.com.au Get it at the game!From the catwalks of Manchester
The process of updating the kits involves discussions between the clubs and Reebok, the incorporation of Reebok’s latest manufacturing technologies and international styles, and finally FFA approval. Adelaide and Queensland’s new away kits, for example, replicate the cut and neckline of Reebok’s latest designs as worn internationally by teams such as English club Manchester City.

In all, releasing a new strip can take up to 12 months of working behind the scenes.

“It’s a lengthy process. We’ve already had feedback from the clubs about this year’s and last year’s product so we’ve already done a lot of the research,” Novak says. “So now it’s about researching and giving them what they want.”



A bright future
Come round one next season, many of the clubs may don brand new home shirts. Like Melbourne, some may choose to establish their own unique design elements on the shirt. But it’s up to the clubs to indicate what they’re after, and it’s up to the fans to let the clubs know.

So, some advice from Tracy for budding junior kit designers: “Just let loose, it’s always interesting to have young ideas on product. They’re the ones that don’t get stuck in tunnel thinking. They think outside the square. The clubs are very traditional a lot of the time too, so it’s always good to have their fans give them feedback. Send designs in, they’ll pass them on to us and we’ll see what we can use.”

And what about the Roar’s somewhat creative colour scheme? “It’s an interesting colour combination, I must say,” Novak concedes, “but being predominantly orange it’s easily identifiable as Queensland Roar, and the more orange it is, the better it sells.” The Full90 looks forward to how much more orange the kit can get next year!

Reproduced from TheFull90 – the official matchday magazine of the Hyundai A-League www.a-league.com.au Get it at the game!