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Bulldogs CEO offers major update in surnames on NRL jumpers
SEN • September 10th, 2025 1:26 pm
A debate that rages among rugby league fans and clubs may soon end as surnames on the back of club jerseys are set to be locked in for Las Vegas 2026.
Names have been replaced by sponsor logos since the end of the Super League era in 1990, but with fans craving more connection to players the notion of bringing them back has been floated on a regular basis in recent years.
At the start of 2025, Canterbury-Bankstown CEO Aaron Warburton told SEN 1170 Mornings that his club had submitted an application to the NRL to have player surnames put on the back of jerseys.
The new attracted plenty of support from fans but was rejected by Warriors CEO Cam George on the basis of financial constraints.
Now however, it seems one-off events like Vegas and Magic Round could be used a test environments to ascertain how financially viable the switch could be.
“Surnames on jerseys is very real,” Warburton told SEN. “We are talking with the NRL about the logistics and there’s a few more hurdles to jump to make sure that’s a reality come round 1 in Vegas where not only will jerseys feature surnames but fans will be able to order them with names on.
“I’ve said to Andrew (Abdo) and the team that if it works in Vegas then why not do it a couple of times a year like Gather Round.
“Do the fans want names, do they buy jerseys, can we renumerate the players?
“These things need to be ironed out this side of the current CBA. Were one of the only main sporting codes without surnames.
“We will look back and say ‘I cant believe we didn’t have names’.”
Asked if it would impact player numbers and the tradition of them being linked with position, Warburton offered a solution.
“Jerseys for us would arrive with all the names sublimated and we can mix and match numbers if players change.,” he said.
“I love the history behind 1-17, there’s a lot of heritage and consistency that works.”
Image Credit: @thenrlroast
