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Kalyn Ponga Calls For NRL To Include Player Names On Jerseys

Kalyn Ponga Calls For NRL To Include Player Names On Jerseys

The Knights fullback says he wants to swap jerseys with a certain somebody over in New Zealand before he gets snapped up by the All Blacks.

Max Sherry

Max Sherry

Ask most professional footballers, basketballers and NFL stars about their jersey collection and they'll probably tell you that theirs is the biggest and best out fo all their teammates.

It's somewhat of a tradition for players of other codes to swap shirts with the opposition after battling it out on the field or court.

And some of the biggest sports names on the planet boast some impressive collections of other players' jerseys.

But we don't often see it in the NRL for the simple fact that there's no names on the back - just numbers - so there's no real way of determining who the jersey actually belonged to.

But Kalyn Ponga wants that changed - and he knows exactly which player he'll be exchanging strips with first once surnames are introduced.

Instagram

The Newcastle Knights fullback has called for the NRL to add players' names on the back of jerseys.

And he's got his eye on one bloke's jersey in particular before he finally says farewell to rugby league to get snapped up by the All Blacks.

"NRL put names on the back of our jerseys," Ponga wrote on his Instagram story.

"I want (Roger) Tuivasa-Sheck before he leaves."

Ponga's Instagram story also included a picture of Charlotte Hornets rookie LaMelo Ball and NBA great Carmelo Anthony posing for a photo after swapping jerseys on the court.

Granted, having surnames on NRL jerseys is great for the players themselves (and probably the die-hard fans up and down the country), but it will undoubtedly prove to be a nightmare for the team's equipment staff.

But while it may cost the club's a little extra to produce new jerseys every week, only to see them exchange hands after every gruelling game, in the long-run it could be very beneficial to rugby league from a marketing standpoint.

"Even if it is a merchandising gimmick, it's making money," NRL reporter Katie Brown told SEN 1170 Mornings radio.

"I'm sure there would be so many people wanting a Kalyn Ponga jersey with his name on the back."

Kalyn Ponga.
Instagram/@kalyn__ponga

The English Super League has had surnames on jerseys for donkey's years, while State of Origin only introduced the idea in recent series'.

As for the NRL itself, it still remains one of the only major sporting competitions on the planet that only has numbers on the back of playing strips - not names.

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/@kalyn__ponga

Topics: nrl news, Kit, NBA, Rugby League, nrl, NFL, Australia, Newcastle Knights