The all new 2025 Kit Thread!

[jacobus]

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/england-rugby-league/england-rugby-league-training-wear/england-rugby-league-ashes-training-range/

 

GO on Oxen !!! I asked you delivered

[Hopie]

7 minutes ago, jacobus said:

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/england-rugby-league/england-rugby-league-training-wear/england-rugby-league-ashes-training-range/

 

GO on Oxen !!! I asked you delivered

Shovel that garbage out Oxen, random colours and random patterns a plenty.

[Odsal Outlaw]

6 minutes ago, Hopie said:

Shovel that garbage out Oxen, random colours and random patterns a plenty.

Awful isn’t it. But to be fair to Oxen they must be losing their sh*t over not being allowed to release multiple new playing kits for the ashes. Someone will have been fired for that. So let’s let them go a bit random with the training kit

[LeytherRob]

17 minutes ago, jacobus said:

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/england-rugby-league/england-rugby-league-training-wear/england-rugby-league-ashes-training-range/

 

GO on Oxen !!! I asked you delivered

Such random designs... they aren't awful but there's just nothing in them to even suggest they're related to England other than the badge.

 

When you compare it to the kit/training wear designs of Oz, NZ and Samoa on the same site it's night and day

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/england-rugby-league/australian-kangaroos/

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/england-rugby-league/toa-samoa-rugby-league/

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/england-rugby-league/new-zealand-rugby-league/

[Gooleboy]

2 hours ago, LeytherRob said:

Such random designs... they aren't awful but there's just nothing in them to even suggest they're related to England other than the badge.

 

When you compare it to the kit/training wear designs of Oz, NZ and Samoa on the same site it's night and day

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/england-rugby-league/australian-kangaroos/

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/england-rugby-league/toa-samoa-rugby-league/

https://www.eliteprosports.co.uk/england-rugby-league/new-zealand-rugby-league/

Some decent stuff here, especially compared to the England rubbish.

[EastLondonMike]

I thought Oxen had turned a bit of a corner. With some of their 2025 offerings significantly better. But this suggests they’ve turned and gone back round the corner.

Some really poor choices made with that England training range. Really poor. 
Which might not entirely be down to them. Someone at the RFL is signing off this stuff after all.

I’ve said it so many times, but there is a huge knowledge gap within the game in the UK - generally - when it comes to creative.

[Dave T]

England Rugby League Training Wear - Elite Pro Sports

Look at the whole range of training wear - I'm not really sure what people's issue is.

Loads of red, blue and white t shirts that are in a similar mould to those on the Australia and New Zealand pages (and more choice) and then the new range is different, not unlike some on the England RU site (I won't link to that!).

People will celebrate this:

AUSTRALIAN KANGAROOS - YOUTH RETAIL TRAINING TEE GRN - Elite Pro Sports

But then moan about this:

England RL Chest Panel Tee Red - Elite Pro Sports

 

[Dave T]

Interesting to compare to the NRL Kangaroos shop:

Australian Kangaroos Merchandise – NRL Shop

[EastLondonMike]

4 hours ago, Dave T said:

England Rugby League Training Wear - Elite Pro Sports

Look at the whole range of training wear - I'm not really sure what people's issue is.

Loads of red, blue and white t shirts that are in a similar mould to those on the Australia and New Zealand pages (and more choice) and then the new range is different, not unlike some on the England RU site (I won't link to that!).

People will celebrate this:

AUSTRALIAN KANGAROOS - YOUTH RETAIL TRAINING TEE GRN - Elite Pro Sports

But then moan about this:

England RL Chest Panel Tee Red - Elite Pro Sports

 

The whole range is pretty poor Dave. Even by their standards. It’s low quality, on many levels.

[Bongo1]

23 hours ago, Odsal Outlaw said:

Awful isn’t it. But to be fair to Oxen they must be losing their sh*t over not being allowed to release multiple new playing kits for the ashes. Someone will have been fired for that. So let’s let them go a bit random with the training kit

They will 100% release a remembrance jersey for the 3rd test

[Dave T]

12 minutes ago, EastLondonMike said:

The whole range is pretty poor Dave. Even by their standards. It’s low quality, on many levels.

I'm just not seeing too much wrong with it tbh. I've had a quick look at Union and Football training ranges and none of it offers any more. I find the range a touch flat personally, I like the more garish stuff for training tees.

The Kangaroos effort is lacking massively, indicative of their international efforts I'd say.

[Chrispmartha]

13 hours ago, Dave T said:

I'm just not seeing too much wrong with it tbh. I've had a quick look at Union and Football training ranges and none of it offers any more. I find the range a touch flat personally, I like the more garish stuff for training tees.

The Kangaroos effort is lacking massively, indicative of their international efforts I'd say.

It’s more about the actual quality of the gear I think Dave, it’s really not very good, you could say it’s fine at club level but I personally think the international stuff should be of the best quality

[hunsletgreenandgold]

14 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

It’s more about the actual quality of the gear I think Dave, it’s really not very good, you could say it’s fine at club level but I personally think the international stuff should be of the best quality

Yeah that's exactly it - I have a lot of the Classic Aus gear and it's so much better than any of the various Oxen pieces I have 

[Wolford6]

18 hours ago, Dave T said:

England Rugby League Training Wear - Elite Pro Sports

Look at the whole range of training wear - I'm not really sure what people's issue is.

Loads of red, blue and white t shirts that are in a similar mould to those on the Australia and New Zealand pages (and more choice) and then the new range is different, not unlike some on the England RU site (I won't link to that!).

People will celebrate this:

AUSTRALIAN KANGAROOS - YOUTH RETAIL TRAINING TEE GRN - Elite Pro Sports

But then moan about this:

England RL Chest Panel Tee Red - Elite Pro Sports

 

They are uniformly awful.

And I should know because I've supported the Bradford Bulls for the past 50 years.

[EastLondonMike]

14 hours ago, Dave T said:

I'm just not seeing too much wrong with it tbh. I've had a quick look at Union and Football training ranges and none of it offers any more. I find the range a touch flat personally, I like the more garish stuff for training tees.

The Kangaroos effort is lacking massively, indicative of their international efforts I'd say.

Thats fair enough Dave - and no doubt plenty will like it. But from a quality POV - again, only IMO, for what its worth - I think it should be of a much higher standard. Quality of product, and quality of the general aesthetic. The changing of colour of the England branding also shows how little both Oxen and the RFL truly respect the brand. The RFL more so.

If they were working from a platform of commercial success over a number of years, having built a successful brand, such a thing could be looked at. But not when you are operating at such a low level.

When the bottom line is the most important aspect, and the importance of quality isn't viewed in the same way - this is what you end up with.

[Chrispmartha]

25 minutes ago, EastLondonMike said:

Thats fair enough Dave - and no doubt plenty will like it. But from a quality POV - again, only IMO, for what its worth - I think it should be of a much higher standard. Quality of product, and quality of the general aesthetic. The changing of colour of the England branding also shows how little both Oxen and the RFL truly respect the brand. The RFL more so.

If they were working from a platform of commercial success over a number of years, having built a successful brand, such a thing could be looked at. But not when you are operating at such a low level.

When the bottom line is the most important aspect, and the importance of quality isn't viewed in the same way - this is what you end up with.

Agreed. Unfortunately bottom line will be the most important factor.

I just wish we had a more recognisable brand associated with the national stuff.

For example (whether you like the design or not) the Adidas stuff for NSW looks on point and a class above quality wise (I’ve got an Adidas NSW hoody and it’s great)

 

https://www.adidas.com.au/rugby_league

[Gooleboy]

30 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

Agreed. Unfortunately bottom line will be the most important factor.

I just wish we had a more recognisable brand associated with the national stuff.

For example (whether you like the design or not) the Adidas stuff for NSW looks on point and a class above quality wise (I’ve got an Adidas NSW hoody and it’s great)

 

https://www.adidas.com.au/rugby_league

Good quality stuff as is usually the case from Adidas. Very identifiable as NSW. That is the problem with England RL, so many different kits and merchandise over the year's that looks as though it has been designed on the back of a fag packet.

[Dave T]

2 hours ago, Chrispmartha said:

It’s more about the actual quality of the gear I think Dave, it’s really not very good, you could say it’s fine at club level but I personally think the international stuff should be of the best quality

Tbh, the only thing I've ever had was a hoodie which was pretty nice quality, certqinly up there with previous ones ive had from Wire like O'Neills, Canterbury and Puma. So I can't comment on the training gear, so fair comment if it's pants.

[Dave T]

1 hour ago, EastLondonMike said:

Thats fair enough Dave - and no doubt plenty will like it. But from a quality POV - again, only IMO, for what its worth - I think it should be of a much higher standard. Quality of product, and quality of the general aesthetic. The changing of colour of the England branding also shows how little both Oxen and the RFL truly respect the brand. The RFL more so.

If they were working from a platform of commercial success over a number of years, having built a successful brand, such a thing could be looked at. But not when you are operating at such a low level.

When the bottom line is the most important aspect, and the importance of quality isn't viewed in the same way - this is what you end up with.

Aye, see my response to Chris, only had one item which was very good, haven't had tees, so fair enough on the quality of them, I can't really comment.

[Worzel]

2 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

Thats fair enough Dave - and no doubt plenty will like it. But from a quality POV - again, only IMO, for what its worth - I think it should be of a much higher standard. Quality of product, and quality of the general aesthetic. The changing of colour of the England branding also shows how little both Oxen and the RFL truly respect the brand. The RFL more so.

If they were working from a platform of commercial success over a number of years, having built a successful brand, such a thing could be looked at. But not when you are operating at such a low level.

When the bottom line is the most important aspect, and the importance of quality isn't viewed in the same way - this is what you end up with.

Yes, basically Oxen stuff is market-knock-off level tat, that's the core issue

Design is subjective, personally I think much of it is rubbish but that's as much the client's fault. But the quality of materials choice and production is down to the clothes partner... and Oxen is rubbish.

[Chrispmartha]

1 hour ago, Dave T said:

Tbh, the only thing I've ever had was a hoodie which was pretty nice quality, certqinly up there with previous ones ive had from Wire like O'Neills, Canterbury and Puma. So I can't comment on the training gear, so fair comment if it's pants.

The Oxen hoodies are ok, the replica shirts and training gear is generally poor quality imo.

[fighting irish]

2 hours ago, Wolford6 said:

They are uniformly awful.

And I should know because I've supported the Bradford Bulls for the past 50 years.

I agree they aren't very good. 

[RP London]

3 hours ago, EastLondonMike said:

Thats fair enough Dave - and no doubt plenty will like it. But from a quality POV - again, only IMO, for what its worth - I think it should be of a much higher standard. Quality of product, and quality of the general aesthetic. The changing of colour of the England branding also shows how little both Oxen and the RFL truly respect the brand. The RFL more so.

If they were working from a platform of commercial success over a number of years, having built a successful brand, such a thing could be looked at. But not when you are operating at such a low level.

When the bottom line is the most important aspect, and the importance of quality isn't viewed in the same way - this is what you end up with.

I don't really know Oxen from anyone else so I don't necessarily want to be "jumping to their defence".. I'm a brand owner of a couple of brands, surely the fault of the branding is on the RFL not Oxen.. If I just went to a company and said "look i don't really know what our colours are, have a crack and see what you can come up with" then that's exactly what you'd do.. we have quite a big brand guidelines book around colours, fonts, designs, the fact that certain aspects NEVER get used together etc etc.. if the RFL haven't got that then that's on them not Oxen.. and frankly if they have and Oxen aren't sticking to it then that's on the RFL not to sign it off too.. 

I'm not keen on the training wear with the block patterns on the chest, but you see other sports doing it so might be a "this years fashion" type thing. I quite like the ashes one with the black streaks of Ash on it (base colour aside), I don't mind swirly patters, some of the training stuff held up on here for Samoa and NZ have differing "patterns". But its that base "brand" colour pallet we are lacking and surely that comes from the RFL. 

You know more about this than me and these "tweaks" to designs are fashion led, or design led I assume and I 100% agree the base colours should be nailed down but the RFL cannot even decide if we should have blue in the main shirt or not etc.. the branding is surely at their door. 

[Tommygilf]

41 minutes ago, Chrispmartha said:

The Oxen hoodies are ok, the replica shirts and training gear is generally poor quality imo.

The Leeds dark navy and amber polo they did last season is nice that I have, but it almost feels oddly good quality...

[EastLondonMike]

6 minutes ago, RP London said:

I don't really know Oxen from anyone else so I don't necessarily want to be "jumping to their defence".. I'm a brand owner of a couple of brands, surely the fault of the branding is on the RFL not Oxen.. If I just went to a company and said "look i don't really know what our colours are, have a crack and see what you can come up with" then that's exactly what you'd do.. we have quite a big brand guidelines book around colours, fonts, designs, the fact that certain aspects NEVER get used together etc etc.. if the RFL haven't got that then that's on them not Oxen.. and frankly if they have and Oxen aren't sticking to it then that's on the RFL not to sign it off too.. 

I'm not keen on the training wear with the block patterns on the chest, but you see other sports doing it so might be a "this years fashion" type thing. I quite like the ashes one with the black streaks of Ash on it (base colour aside), I don't mind swirly patters, some of the training stuff held up on here for Samoa and NZ have differing "patterns". But its that base "brand" colour pallet we are lacking and surely that comes from the RFL. 

You know more about this than me and these "tweaks" to designs are fashion led, or design led I assume and I 100% agree the base colours should be nailed down but the RFL cannot even decide if we should have blue in the main shirt or not etc.. the branding is surely at their door. 

yeah it kind of is.. which highlights my comment about lack of knowledge around such things.

But i would imagine in this case Oxen making a proposal around colour usage of the badge, and the RFL saying yes.