The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs have made a bold leap in the realm of rugby league jerseys, answering the call of many desperate fans wanting to change.

The Belmore-based club announced on Friday that they will wear player names on the back of their jerseys when they take the field in Las Vegas for Round 1 next year, marking a major first for the NRL.

The initiative will see each player's surname displayed on their jersey for the historic American double-header, and for the first time, fans can purchase official jerseys featuring the same personalised names and numbers.

NRL Rd 22 - Bulldogs v Raiders
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 04: Stephen Crichton of the Bulldogs celebrates scoring a try during the round 22 NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and Canberra Raiders at Belmore Sports Ground, on August 04, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)

Bulldogs CEO Aaron Warburton said the move was about honouring players' heritage while giving fans a stronger connection to the team.

“A player's surname represents their family, their heritage and their journey,” Warburton said. “When our players run out in Vegas, those names should be visible for the world to see.”

The Bulldogs will become the first NRL club to retail personalised player-name jerseys, a move Warburton said aligns with global sporting standards across the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL.

“We're taking rugby league to America, where every major sport uses player names,” he said in a club statement.

“We're adapting smartly to present our game properly to a new audience, while giving our fans what they've been asking for.”

According to Warburton, 93% of Bulldogs fans supported having player names visible, while the initiative has also been backed by KFC, the club's NRL Upper Back Partner, and the Rugby League Players Association.

RLPA CEO Clint Newton praised the Bulldogs for their innovation, calling it “a benchmark that shows the incredible value of player IP and creates new products for fans.”

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