NRL side set for potential shock name change

Just recently in England we’ve seen new Super League side Leigh change their name from Leigh Centurions to Leigh Leopards in a major rebranding however an NRL side are asking fans about a proposed name change that would see their home town dropped from the team name.

St George Illawarra Dragons are a historic side dating back to their foundation in 1920 however they transitioned from St George Dragons to St George Illawarra Dragons in 1998 after a joint venture with Illawarra Steelers.

Such was the creation of St George Illawarra Dragons, who then competed in their first NRL season under that name in 1999 where they have competed ever since.

Now the club are asking fans if they should drop the Illawarra element of their name and have provided a range of suggestions it’s being reported by The Daily Telegraph in Australia.

Club members were asked a range of questions, the most notable being: “which naming convention should the St George Illawarra Dragons use as their formal identity?”

The options included; St George Dragons, Southern Dragons, Greater Sydney Dragons, The Dragons or St George Illawarra Dragons.

A return to simply St George Dragons is reportedly the most popular however the club have no intention of leaving the Illawarra region after having secured $50 million to create a centre of excellence at the University of Wollongong.

It would be a major change for the side but a change to simply Dragons would reflect the branding style of new club Dolphins, who despite being based in Redcliffe in Brisbane are set to simply go by the name Dolphins.

Could we see Super League teams drop geographical locations from their names and formally become Rhinos or Tigers in the future as part of the IMG overhaul of rugby league.