Wests Tigers have defended their use of a stock image of American soldiers on the front of their commemorative jersey for this year’s Anzac Round.
Eagle-eyed fans shared on social media photos of the new jersey which features two unidentified soldiers in a desert environment.
But based on the uniforms and weaponry pictured the soldiers are American, not Australian, which has seen the club come in for criticism.
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However the Tigers worked with Holsworthy Army Barracks in Sydney to create the design and have the ANZAC elements approved, with the photo – available for sale – meant to broadly “depict the modern-day soldier serving in a desert environment”.
“They’re carrying an M240B machine gun where the Australians have I think it’s an F89 and a MAG58,” Paul Kent explained on NRL 360.
“It’s a stock image that the Tigers have put on there, I’ve spoken to them today. Basically they’ve told us what’s happened is … they collaborated with Holsworthy Army Barracks who saw all this, endorsed it.
“They’ve got the ANZAC flags, Australia and New Zealand flags, camouflage which is the Australian camouflage above the chevron on the jersey. They have rebranded it the ‘commemorative’ jersey rather than the ANZAC jersey.
“For the people who are blowing up that they’ve made an oversight and put American soldiers rather than Australian soldiers, it’s not the case, they’ve been through the Holsworthy Army Barracks and got that endorsed.
“I will say though, I am disappointed, I think a lot of people are disappointed they couldn’t find Australian soldiers to put on there.
“But certainly they wanted to have this sort of evocative image to symbolise the war that’s going on, and what’s going on in Afghanistan, Iraq, for so many years.”
The club also released a statement to Fox League.
“Wests Tigers has collaborated with Holsworthy Army Barracks, who have sighted and approved all collateral relating to the release of this jersey,” it read.
“The soldiers on the jersey simply depict the modern-day soldier serving in a desert environment.
“The image in question, which is a stock image, has been purchased under license by our official apparel partner.
“The final design was approved by NRL Licensing.
“The military camouflage pattern above the chevron on the jersey is an authentic replica of the Australian Army camouflage that has been digitalised and grey-scaled.
“Both the Australian and New Zealand flags are represented on the jersey’s shoulders, again honouring our ANZACs.
“Above all else, this jersey honours all Defence Force personnel who have served in recent conflicts in Middle East wars, who are so often underrepresented.
“The release of this jersey falls three weeks out from our Anzac Round clash against Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Campbelltown Sports Stadium in Round 8.”
