New Zealand Rugby League this week revealed their 2024 jersey range which will be worn by the Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns for their Pacific Championships campaign.

The playing jersey is a nod to the jersey of 2002 which featured some of the most influential and recognisable players of the game. Players such as Stacey Jones, Monty Betham, Honey Hireme-Smiler and Nadene Conlon all represented the teams during this time and have gone on to become key figures for representing and growing rugby league here in New Zealand.

The reinvented black jersey will allow this season’s players to take with them the legacy of those who have come before as they run out onto the pitch for battle.

The design of the training jersey connects the teams back to the land and the fans. The black tāniko patterns weave in the heritage of their whānau with Niho Taniwha patterns a reminder to stay vigilant, to protect and to stand firm. Meanwhile, the Aramoana represent the waterways that connect everyone and are a reminder of the journey of our ancestors. The use of black represents the team’s enduring legacy and the ‘Muka’ (beige) is used to represent the natural hues of the land.

The jerseys created with Dynasty Sport will also benefit the environment with 38 plastic bottles per jersey avoiding landfill and being woven into their Ecotek fabric.

We sat down with some of the legends of the game to talk about the 2002 season, their careers and what the jersey means to them. Watch now on our YouTube channel.

Fans can shop the range at shop.nzrl.co.nz or at key sports retailers.