You know how some projects start fast and finish faster? This wasn’t one of them.
Designing our new O35 kits for 2026 was the easy part. We blasted through concepts, mockups, and committee approvals in what has to be record time — everyone was on the same page, the design landed quickly, and we walked away thinking, “well, that was painless.”
Then we placed the order.
The long wait
Once our 2026 sponsors were locked in and the artwork was finalised, the order went off to the supplier. From that point on, things slowed to a crawl. Weeks turned into months. The shipment was at the mercy of freight companies that operate, charitably, on their own schedule. We checked tracking numbers more times than we’d care to admit.
A massive shout out has to go to Matt at Soccer City. Matt made what felt like a thousand phone calls to the freight crew — the “sherpas,” as we’ve come to call them — to drag our kits across the line and onto our backs in time for the season. Without him, we’d still be playing in last year’s gear.
About the away kit…
Here’s where it gets funny. Our away kit was meant to be stone — a clean, neutral, classic look. What turned up was… not stone. Somewhere between order and delivery wires got crossed at the supplier, and the colour landed in a very different family.
The boys have a nickname for it. We won’t be sharing it here. Use your imagination.
The reaction from the squad? They love it. Embraced it instantly. It’s a talking point, it’s a vibe, and it’s the kind of unintentional brand identity money can’t buy.
The referee in our first match wasn’t quite as enthusiastic. Mid-game, we got the now-immortal line:
“What colour is that — I’m not sure what to call on throw-ins?”
Fair question, ref. Fair question.
The home kit problem
Our home kit, on the other hand, is exactly what we ordered: tough, sleek, all black. Looks brilliant. The catch? It clashes with practically every other team in the competition. So while the home jersey is a beauty in the bag, we’ll be running out in the not-quite-stone away kit for the bulk of 2026.
One for the learnings list.
Wrapping up
All up, despite the freight chaos and the supplier’s interpretive take on colour theory, we’re stoked with the kits. They’re a serious level up on last year’s, and the boys are proud to pull them on each weekend. We’ve banked a few lessons for the next round of orders and we’ll come back smarter for it.
Big thanks to Lynne and the committee for getting around the O35s having our own kit identity, separate from the broader club setup. That flexibility means a lot, and the whole squad appreciates the support.
Now — onto the football.
Filed by the bench · 2 May 2026