Sport
6 July, 2023
Lexton investigating jumper change for 2024
Lexton are investigating the possibility of changing their football jumpers next year, with a return to their traditional black and yellow strip mooted internally for 2024. The investigation was sparked by the merger talks between Maryborough Rovers...
Lexton are investigating the possibility of changing their football jumpers next year, with a return to their traditional black and yellow strip mooted internally for 2024.
The investigation was sparked by the merger talks between Maryborough Rovers and Royal Park, with the new club being confirmed as the Maryborough Giants last week.
It also means that the traditional black jumper with yellow sash, as made famous by Richmond, will be vacated by Royal Park at season’s end with their impending amalgamation.
Lexton were formed in 1920, having played in the Pyrenees Football Association (PFA), moving across to the Burrumbeet and District Football Association, Ripon Football Association and back to the PFA in the late 1920s and 1930s, before settling in the Lexton Football League following World War II in 1945.
From there, the Tigers spent 53 years playing in the league, winning 14 premierships, before the league merged with the Western Plains Football League in 1999 to create the Lexton Plains Football League, which ran for 11 years before the competition folded in 2010.
For a large part of those 90 years of competition, Lexton wore the traditional yellow and black jumper.
But when they moved to the Maryborough Castlemaine District Football Netball League in 2011, the Tigers adopted a jumper design which has seen them add grey to their colours, while maintaining the yellow sash, as well as splashes of black across their jumper, keeping in respect to Royal Park, who had already made the jumper their own.
Lexton president Jordan Phelan explained that while discussions about changing the jumper have only been internal for now, there was a distinct possibility that the club would ask the question to the league to change their design, with chatter that the club would investigate the jumper change growing across town over the last few weeks.
“The history of Lexton sees the sash as a vital part of that, looking at all the premiership photos going back,” he said.
Phelan says while the grey strip has created its own little bit of heritage, the club will continue exploring the option of changing their design.
“The grey strip does have its own little history now, since we came into the league, but the netballers have the black and yellow. Playing Royal Park two weeks ago was the last time we had that situation with the clash strip. But we’ll explore the option and see where we can get to. The decision will come down to the executive committee of the league, and we’ll respect that as well,” he said.
“We have to weigh out the pros and cons of it all. It’s an extensive measure when you’re talking about five grades of football with playing strips right across the board.
“We also have to explore our sponsorship and the league executive’s thoughts. To be honest, we haven’t approached anyone at league level yet, it’s only been internal discussions. There’s a lot that needs to happen before we make any decision about next year.”
Phelan says while he hasn’t worn the traditional jumper before, he’s understood the history of the club since his arrival, and knows that while many of the Lexton faithful would love their old jumper back, the club also wish to do so with the greatest of respect to others in the league.
“There are a lot of people that would be wanting the sash back. I’d be all for it if it eventuated that way,” he said.
“Myself and my partner, Rachel, came to the club when we moved into the Maryborough league, so we’ve only had the grey strip in our time, and we don’t know much different.
“The timing has to be right as well, so we want to make sure we are doing the right thing, not stepping on anyone’s toes and it’s all above board.”
In the meantime, Lexton will continue on with their season when they play Campbells Creek tomorrow.