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The Author & Researcher
MICHAEL FAHEY has been one of the major players in the sports memorabilia scene for much of the past 40 years.
He was born in 1962 and graduated from Sydney University with an economics degree after attending St Ignatius College, Riverview.
Fahey has been trading and valuing sports memorabilia since 1993 and sold the four match balls from the Rugby World Cup 2003 final for a world record price for rugby memorabilia of $250,000.
He is now the Official Valuer to NSM, Rugby Australia Archives, SCG, Bradman & NZ Rugby Museums, NZ Sports Hall of Fame and a Federal Government Cultural Gifts Program Approved Valuer.
All through Fahey has been an active voice in the media and has conducted weekly memorabilia discussions and valuations on radio 2UE and Macquarie Sports Radio.
In 2008 he co-wrote ‘The History Of The Baggy Green’ and spoke in the Long Room at Lord’s.
He is also the Founder and Administrator of a number of sports history Facebook pages including History of the Wallabies Jersey.
In 2016 he co-presented the seminar at NZ Rugby on the All Blacks jersey in 2016 – ‘Protecting the Legacy.’
He was born in 1962 and graduated from Sydney University with an economics degree after attending St Ignatius College, Riverview.
Fahey has been trading and valuing sports memorabilia since 1993 and sold the four match balls from the Rugby World Cup 2003 final for a world record price for rugby memorabilia of $250,000.
He is now the Official Valuer to NSM, Rugby Australia Archives, SCG, Bradman & NZ Rugby Museums, NZ Sports Hall of Fame and a Federal Government Cultural Gifts Program Approved Valuer.
All through Fahey has been an active voice in the media and has conducted weekly memorabilia discussions and valuations on radio 2UE and Macquarie Sports Radio.
In 2008 he co-wrote ‘The History Of The Baggy Green’ and spoke in the Long Room at Lord’s.
He is also the Founder and Administrator of a number of sports history Facebook pages including History of the Wallabies Jersey.
In 2016 he co-presented the seminar at NZ Rugby on the All Blacks jersey in 2016 – ‘Protecting the Legacy.’
The Editor & Author
MARK CASHMAN has had a long and varied career in sports journalism with rugby always central to his working and social life.
He started his journalism career at the North Shore Times in Sydney, at times revelling in the exploits of the Gordon Highlanders golden run through the 1980s, before taking up an opportunity to join the sports desk of The Australian newspaper.
From there he moved to work on the now defunct Daily Mirror before heading to the sports desk of the Daily Telegraph, moving through the ranks to become sports editor in the early 1990s for five years.
Rugby called at that stage and an offer to start up Inside Rugby magazine and edit the Wallabies match programs at ACP Magazines seemed to be a great fit at that time.
All through Cashman maintained an active association with the Northern Suburbs club playing a record 313 run-on games of senior footy in every grade from firsts to fifths.
At ACP Magazines he also oversaw numerous major sports event publishing projects in Australia and New Zealand including the British and Irish Lions tour of NZ in 2005, the Rugby World Cup in NZ in 2011 as well as the Lions tours of Australia in 2001 and 2013.
For the past eight year Cashman has run his own media publishing, content and advice business centred essentially in the rugby space.
He started his journalism career at the North Shore Times in Sydney, at times revelling in the exploits of the Gordon Highlanders golden run through the 1980s, before taking up an opportunity to join the sports desk of The Australian newspaper.
From there he moved to work on the now defunct Daily Mirror before heading to the sports desk of the Daily Telegraph, moving through the ranks to become sports editor in the early 1990s for five years.
Rugby called at that stage and an offer to start up Inside Rugby magazine and edit the Wallabies match programs at ACP Magazines seemed to be a great fit at that time.
All through Cashman maintained an active association with the Northern Suburbs club playing a record 313 run-on games of senior footy in every grade from firsts to fifths.
At ACP Magazines he also oversaw numerous major sports event publishing projects in Australia and New Zealand including the British and Irish Lions tour of NZ in 2005, the Rugby World Cup in NZ in 2011 as well as the Lions tours of Australia in 2001 and 2013.
For the past eight year Cashman has run his own media publishing, content and advice business centred essentially in the rugby space.
The Project & Publication Manager
JOHN BLONDIN has been a Media Proprietor and Publisher of Business and Consumer magazines, books and digital product for more than 30 years.
He has published and worked on many books and magazines on behalf of The International Rugby Board (now World Rugby), Rugby Australia, Rugby World Cup Ltd, The French Rugby Federation, The Hong Kong Rugby Union and New Zealand Rugby.
In 1987 he was appointed as the official Australian Merchandising Licensee for the inaugural Rugby World Cup and participated commercially in the next six Rugby World Cups. He led his team to win many awards including Best Consumer Magazine, Best Magazine Launch, Best Specialist Publication and in 2004 the major Publishing Award being Magazine of the Year for Australian Rugby Review.
In 1995 John was awarded the Australian Marketing Institute’s National Award for Marketing Excellence in Media Strategy and Planning for his various rugby initiatives and was honoured with a Fellowship of the Institute.
In 2011 he was inducted into the Publishers Australia Hall of Fame. He was also made an Honorary Member of The Australian Rugby Schools Football Union whom he sponsored for many years.
John has a long association with rugby as a player, coach, player manager, sponsor and publisher and now focuses on special projects such as this important archival publication on the History of the Wallabies Jersey.
He has published and worked on many books and magazines on behalf of The International Rugby Board (now World Rugby), Rugby Australia, Rugby World Cup Ltd, The French Rugby Federation, The Hong Kong Rugby Union and New Zealand Rugby.
In 1987 he was appointed as the official Australian Merchandising Licensee for the inaugural Rugby World Cup and participated commercially in the next six Rugby World Cups. He led his team to win many awards including Best Consumer Magazine, Best Magazine Launch, Best Specialist Publication and in 2004 the major Publishing Award being Magazine of the Year for Australian Rugby Review.
In 1995 John was awarded the Australian Marketing Institute’s National Award for Marketing Excellence in Media Strategy and Planning for his various rugby initiatives and was honoured with a Fellowship of the Institute.
In 2011 he was inducted into the Publishers Australia Hall of Fame. He was also made an Honorary Member of The Australian Rugby Schools Football Union whom he sponsored for many years.
John has a long association with rugby as a player, coach, player manager, sponsor and publisher and now focuses on special projects such as this important archival publication on the History of the Wallabies Jersey.
The Official History of the Wallabies Jersey
Collectors Limited Edition
Collectors Limited Edition
Hard cover book contained in a hand crafted slip case.
$125.00
+ Postage & Handling
PLEASE NOTE: For larger quantities (over 10) to be used as a premium gift for functions, promotional purposes or marketing initiatives, please complete the form below.
BOOK PROUDLY SPONSORED BY
Creating A Valuable Official Historical Archive For Australian Rugby
Australia has played test rugby since 1899 and in those 123 seasons some 34 distinct and different jerseys have been wore by the Wallabies. The golden jersey that took on many hues was first worn 50 years ago but before then the Wallabies wore numerous colours - sky blue, maroon, sky-blue & maroon, green, white with G&G, Gold with green, and plain white
When you add in variations for new sponsors, changes in coats of arms, commemorations, and Rugby World cups there have been 74 variations.
This official history firstly looks to illustrate all the jerseys worn and showcase photographically the most important 50 plus match-worn designs and along the way tell the story of some of the famous players that worn those particular jerseys. Most are well known some legends of our game but a sprinkling were Wallabies who were either selected or solely played tour games and did not having test career for various reasons – but Wallabies all.
The jerseys and their colours tell the story of the forces that shaped Australian rugby as well the men who wore them.
It should be noted that the separate colonies came together, to form a combined or Australian team, in both cricket and Rugby Union before Australia as a country was proclaimed in 1901.
The circumstances surrounding the growth of rugby and the peculiarities in its administration also shaped the colours and symbols. Rugby in Australia and the formation of a national governing body was vastly different to that in other major rugby countries.
It is with this background of just two competing colonies and no national body that jersey colours were selected, and one of the reasons Australia had many varied colours and designs in the first 40 years of Australian test rugby
The Wallabies jersey has been debated in committee meeting and reported in the minutes, featured in letters to the Editor and been the subject of countless newspaper articles. The jersey has been a treasured item to swap with an opponent or gift to someone influential, or important. It has become a billboard and the marketing of supporter’s jerseys now a vital source of income. The technology of the jersey has changed from wool, then cotton to space-age material but it is still the pinnacle of achievement for Australian rugby players. Many express their pride in wearing the jersey and talk of the ceremonies or lack of them upon receiving the jersey.
In 2021 Rugby Australia decided to pick the definitive Wallabies jersey colour and have that as the ongoing permanent symbol. The list and history of the jerseys were presented to the panels and helped formulate that decision.
When you add in variations for new sponsors, changes in coats of arms, commemorations, and Rugby World cups there have been 74 variations.
This official history firstly looks to illustrate all the jerseys worn and showcase photographically the most important 50 plus match-worn designs and along the way tell the story of some of the famous players that worn those particular jerseys. Most are well known some legends of our game but a sprinkling were Wallabies who were either selected or solely played tour games and did not having test career for various reasons – but Wallabies all.
The jerseys and their colours tell the story of the forces that shaped Australian rugby as well the men who wore them.
It should be noted that the separate colonies came together, to form a combined or Australian team, in both cricket and Rugby Union before Australia as a country was proclaimed in 1901.
The circumstances surrounding the growth of rugby and the peculiarities in its administration also shaped the colours and symbols. Rugby in Australia and the formation of a national governing body was vastly different to that in other major rugby countries.
It is with this background of just two competing colonies and no national body that jersey colours were selected, and one of the reasons Australia had many varied colours and designs in the first 40 years of Australian test rugby
The Wallabies jersey has been debated in committee meeting and reported in the minutes, featured in letters to the Editor and been the subject of countless newspaper articles. The jersey has been a treasured item to swap with an opponent or gift to someone influential, or important. It has become a billboard and the marketing of supporter’s jerseys now a vital source of income. The technology of the jersey has changed from wool, then cotton to space-age material but it is still the pinnacle of achievement for Australian rugby players. Many express their pride in wearing the jersey and talk of the ceremonies or lack of them upon receiving the jersey.
In 2021 Rugby Australia decided to pick the definitive Wallabies jersey colour and have that as the ongoing permanent symbol. The list and history of the jerseys were presented to the panels and helped formulate that decision.
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