Rabbitohs players, including captain Cameron Murray (left), wearing the Anzac Day jersey
Rabbitohs players, including captain Cameron Murray (left), wearing the Anzac Day jersey (Image: AAP/Dan Himbrechts)

Crikey noted yesterday that NRL club South Sydney Rabbitohs is becoming a nexus of power in Australia, due to the fondness for the team shared by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and navy chief Admiral Mark Hammond. 

Hammond was appointed to his role by Albanese’s government and last week made a strident public defence of the government’s AUKUS commitment in the Nine newspapers, calling critics of the scheme — which involves Australia acquiring a fleet of up to eight nuclear-powered submarines — “hand-wringers”.

So it’s striking that, of all the branches of the armed forces it could have exulted this week, the Souths’ Anzac Day jersey paid tribute to Australia’s submariners.

“It’s another exciting Anzac round for us this year (because) we’re able to represent the submarine force,” Rabbitohs skipper Cameron Murray told The Daily Telegraph, saying that the team meeting apparently discussed submarines as the real team players of Australia’s defence strategy.

“[Submarines] are the silent service and pride themselves on doing a pretty important role but going under the radar a little bit and not getting the recognition they deserve.”

We’d argue submarines are credited to the tune of a few hundred billion these days, but we’ll give you marks for “under the radar”.

“This year we honour the submariners that keep our nation safe,” actor and team owner Russell Crowe told the Tele. “The design of black and dark grey stripes is based on the way light refracts underwater.”

Oh, sorry, did we not mention Crowe designed the jersey? As the Tele tells it, having decided the world needed a rugby shirt designed by one of the finest Antipodean character actors, the Pope’s Exorcist star apparently sought approval “from his good friend, vice admiral and chief of navy, Mark Hammond, who is also a former submariner”.