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This weekend sees the Rugby League Dacia Magic weekend take place at Anfield, the home of course of Liverpool FC. It’s a real festival of rugby for league fans in which an entire round of Super League matches is played over a weekend at a single stadium to promote rugby league. Since it was introduced used the Magic weekend has done what it says on the tin and been a magic weekend of thrills and spills for supporters and players.
With a reputation for entertainment averaging out at 50 points scored per game, the package of six top flight games in one venue is a real winner. And O’Neills are proud to be there as kit supplier to four of the twelve teams the Catalans Dragons fresh from their Camp Nou success, Warrington Wolves, Huddersfield Giants and St Helens.
This year the top four teams from the 2018 season headline each day with Wigan taking on Warrington on Saturday night and St Helens facing Castleford on Sunday. The Catalans Dragons will play in their special Nou Camp shirt. Here we take a look ahead to the jerseys The Wire, The Giants and The Saints will run out in this weekend onto the famous Anfield pitch.
Warrington Wolves Magic Weekend Jersey
The Warrington Wolves shirt design is based on a shirt that the club played in 30 years ago in Milwaukee to help promote the game of Rugby League. It just so happens that The Wire played Wigan Warriors in Milwaukee and they are their opponents again at Magic. Wigan are also playing in a shirt design that is a throwback to 30 years ago.
Karl Fitzpatrick, CEO said, “Our 2019 Magic Shirt has been very well received by supporters, the design is based on the 1989 Milwaukee shirt and is as true a replica to the original as we could make it. The entire O’Neills team were extremely supportive during the design/ production process, completely understanding and supporting our aim for the shirt to be as close to the original as possible.”
Giants Magic Return to Liverpool Origins
Huddersfield Giants have unveiled their special edition Magic Weekend shirt for the 2019 Season to be worn at the world class Anfield ground. The jersey is inspired by their origins. In 1864 Professor John Le Blanc founded the Apollo Gymnasium and he sought advice from others who had founded similar clubs and societies across the country. He found Liverpool Athletic Club, led by local philanthropist Charles Melley and gymnastics expert John Hulley willing to help him.
Apollo Gymnasium would go on to become Huddersfield Cricket and Athletics Club, later Huddersfield Rugby League Club and now Huddersfield Giants. To celebrate, 155 years later, the club launched their 2019 Magic Weekend shirt, in Liverpool’s famous Red colours to mark a historic return to the city as part of the Dacia Magic Weekend. Huddersfield Giants take on Hull in their game this weekend.
Image courtesy of the Huddersfield Giants
St Helens Magic Weekend Shirt 2019
Saints are once again raising awareness of Autism over the Magic Weekend and their jersey design incorporates the jigsaw pieces that are symbolic to autism awareness. The shirt also sees a return the famous Stickman. A logo last used by Saints many years ago. Steve Law, Merchandising Manager St Helens RFC explained the thinking behind their Magic Weekend jersey.
“This year’s 2019 Magic Weekend Shirt is our fourth in association with O’Neills Sportswear and it has once again been very well received by our fans and players alike. Pre-sales have been excellent and as stock starts to be dispatched, our fans have taken to social media to sing its praises.
“Once again as a club we have used the Magic Weekend Kit to raise awareness of Autism in general, but in particular to support the local St. Helens Autism Support group (SAS). Donations from sales and an auction off of the players shirts will ensure another sizeable donation can be made to the SAS.
“We worked closely with the designers at O’Neills in Leigh over a period of 5-6 weeks to produce what we believe to be our best Magic Weekend shirt yet. In previous years we have used the multi-coloured jigsaw pieces as a symbolism of Autism but this year we gave them a design brief to work with our more traditional white and red colours. They have used Jigsaw Pieces along the famous red vee with the Saints stickmen carrying the final piece to complete the Red Vee. The reverse of the kit is predominantly red with matching red shorts and socks to complete a classic look.”
“O’Neills fast turn-around times, low minimum order quantities and European Production base means that we were able to take customer pre-orders in advance of production to ensure we service our fans requirements whilst cutting down on any potential excess stock. The whole process of creating kits/Training wear is made effortless with the creativity and professional support O’Neills afford us and we look forward to maximising that resource as we go forward.”
Image courtesy of the St.Helens RFC
Anfield Schedule of Games
Saturday
14:00 - Wakefield Trinity v Catalans Dragons
16:30 - Hull FC v Huddersfield Giants
19:00 - Wigan Warriors v Warrington Wolves
Sunday
13:00 - Salford Red Devils v Hull KR
15:30 - Leeds Rhinos v London Broncos
18:00 - St Helens v Castleford Tigers