Blues scrambling as NRL demands late change

New South Wales is scrambling to have new jerseys made just three days out from the State of Origin series opener.

Media outlets including The Sydney Morning Herald are reporting the NRL have asked NSWRL to wear a traditional sky blue jersey on Wednesday, rather than the navy blue one already planned.

The suggestion is the league is concerned a dark blue would clash somewhat with Queensland’s dark maroon strip.

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NSW occasionally wears the alternate jersey during games played at neutral venues, such as Adelaide Oval this week.

This would have been the third time the navy blue was worn.

But reports claim NRL head of football Graham Annesley contacted the NSWRL on Friday to request the sky blues be worn.

Watch the 2023 State of Origin series LIVE and exclusive on Channel 9 and 9Now.

That’s despite the Blues doing all their promotional shoots in the navy blue throughout the week leading up to game one, and the jerseys already being manufactured including with players’ names on the back.

Players will fly out of Sydney and head to Adelaide on Monday.

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