TO ALL GREAT COMPETITORS
THE ONLY THING
THAT REALLY MATTERS
IS WINNING AND WEARING THE NRL PREMIERSHIP RING
AND BEING HONOURED AND CROWNED KING !
This article is by Nine Wide World of Sports ...
After being asked to design the 2023 NRL premiership ring, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese imposed on himself three conditions.
The avid Bunnies fan wanted the ring to be wearable every day, have no political messaging, and red and green were off-limits.
The final product was unveiled at Sydney jeweller Affinity Diamonds on Wednesday morning.
The 2023 ring features a carat of diamonds, 14 natural sapphires, and a white gold band. Each ring is numbered 1-17, plus an extra for the coach.
Affinity Diamonds founder and chief executive Sam Rahme told Wide World of Sports Albanese had 15 gemstones of various colours to choose from. The natural sapphires were chosen for their golden colour, which matches that of the golden wattle – Australia's floral emblem.
On the face, the NRL logo is top and tailed by '2023 Premiers'. On the flanks, a kangaroo and an emu as they appear on the coat-of-arms on one side, and the player numbers from 1-17 on the other.
The initial plan was for it to have the actual coat-of-arms, but that was blocked due to the strict rules surrounding its use.
Once the design is finalised as a CAD drawing, the first step for the physical rings is with the casters, and and it's then sent for buffing and polishing.
Meanwhile, a team of jewellers put together the emblems and arrange the stones. They're inserted once polishing is finished.
All-up, it takes roughly three days work spread across seven staff to produce the end product.
The NRL and NRLW rings both have the same design. The only difference between them is their physical size - the women's being slightly smaller to fit their more slender fingers.
When asked what each ring is worth, Rahme said it was effectively blood, sweat, and tears.
"Forty tackles a game, ten hit ups, about a thousand push ups a week and two thousand sit ups," he said.
"You can't buy them, but if the NRL wanted to pay $10,000 for one, they can have one."
Affinity also produce the Dally M, Wally Lewis and the Clive Churchill medals.
For Rahme, this particular contract is as much a passion project as a business decision. He was a game-day runner for the Manly Sea Eagles for 20 years.
His experiences seeing anyone other than the players and coaching staff wearing them is why each ring is now numbered.
"Previous years never had a number, and you'd have a club director walking around with the ring on," he said.
"He hasn't made a tackle, hasn't done a sit up – guy probably can't do a sit up," he said.
"Being on the coaching staff as I was at the Sea Eagles, I'd see some club directors wearing the ring.
"I thought it was wrong."
Introducing the numbers was quite literally the first decision he made when Affinity was awarded the contract.
"If you don't have a number 1 to 17, you didn't play."
It's why fans aren't even allowed to buy replicas.
"Fans will contact us and say 'I really want one, I'll pay anything. can I have a premiership ring?'," Rahme said.
"We have to say no. You haven't played, you don't get one."
A close friend of Des Hasler, Rahme has two premiership rings from his time at Manly.
"I've never put them on my hand – they're in a vault somewhere. I'll never wear them," he said.
"I didn't make a tackle. I shouldn't be wearing them."
Rahme said in his time with the Sea Eagles, most players would only wear their premiership rings to black-tie club or NRL events. Others wear them during grand final week.
He said clubs usually ask the company to make one or two extras each year, usually for players who play a vital role throughout the season, but then miss the grand final.
Clubs also have the option to ask for replicas, but while they might look the same, they're usually silver. The Panthers and the Roosters are the clubs to have done that.
Affinity Diamonds started making the premiership rings in 2015. Johnathan Thurston designed the 2019 version, an ICU nurse in 2020 during the pandemic, then-NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller in 2021 for his role in keeping the game rolling amid heavy restrictions in NSW, and legendary caller Ray Warren did the 2022 version.
Only twice has a player active in that season's competition had the opportunity to design the ring. On both occasions, they went on to win the comp.
The first was then-Cowboys second-rower Gavin Cooper, who did Affinity's inaugural ring in 2015. Sharks player Luke Lewis designed it the following year, in 2016.
They haven't had a player design it since, but Rahme said it might be just about time.
And he knows exactly who he wants.
"If I want the Sea Eagles to win, I might have to invite Daly Cherry-Evans to design it," he said.
IF WINNING THE RING
IS NOT EVERYTHING
WHY BOTHER TO KEEP THE SCORE ?
A quote from the Great Winner
Vince Lombardi
THE ONLY THING
THAT REALLY MATTERS
IS WINNING AND WEARING THE NRL PREMIERSHIP RING
AND BEING HONOURED AND CROWNED KING !
This article is by Nine Wide World of Sports ...
After being asked to design the 2023 NRL premiership ring, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese imposed on himself three conditions.
The avid Bunnies fan wanted the ring to be wearable every day, have no political messaging, and red and green were off-limits.
The final product was unveiled at Sydney jeweller Affinity Diamonds on Wednesday morning.
The 2023 ring features a carat of diamonds, 14 natural sapphires, and a white gold band. Each ring is numbered 1-17, plus an extra for the coach.
Affinity Diamonds founder and chief executive Sam Rahme told Wide World of Sports Albanese had 15 gemstones of various colours to choose from. The natural sapphires were chosen for their golden colour, which matches that of the golden wattle – Australia's floral emblem.
On the face, the NRL logo is top and tailed by '2023 Premiers'. On the flanks, a kangaroo and an emu as they appear on the coat-of-arms on one side, and the player numbers from 1-17 on the other.
The initial plan was for it to have the actual coat-of-arms, but that was blocked due to the strict rules surrounding its use.
Once the design is finalised as a CAD drawing, the first step for the physical rings is with the casters, and and it's then sent for buffing and polishing.
Meanwhile, a team of jewellers put together the emblems and arrange the stones. They're inserted once polishing is finished.
All-up, it takes roughly three days work spread across seven staff to produce the end product.
The NRL and NRLW rings both have the same design. The only difference between them is their physical size - the women's being slightly smaller to fit their more slender fingers.
When asked what each ring is worth, Rahme said it was effectively blood, sweat, and tears.
"Forty tackles a game, ten hit ups, about a thousand push ups a week and two thousand sit ups," he said.
"You can't buy them, but if the NRL wanted to pay $10,000 for one, they can have one."
Affinity also produce the Dally M, Wally Lewis and the Clive Churchill medals.
For Rahme, this particular contract is as much a passion project as a business decision. He was a game-day runner for the Manly Sea Eagles for 20 years.
His experiences seeing anyone other than the players and coaching staff wearing them is why each ring is now numbered.
"Previous years never had a number, and you'd have a club director walking around with the ring on," he said.
"He hasn't made a tackle, hasn't done a sit up – guy probably can't do a sit up," he said.
"Being on the coaching staff as I was at the Sea Eagles, I'd see some club directors wearing the ring.
"I thought it was wrong."
Introducing the numbers was quite literally the first decision he made when Affinity was awarded the contract.
"If you don't have a number 1 to 17, you didn't play."
It's why fans aren't even allowed to buy replicas.
"Fans will contact us and say 'I really want one, I'll pay anything. can I have a premiership ring?'," Rahme said.
"We have to say no. You haven't played, you don't get one."
A close friend of Des Hasler, Rahme has two premiership rings from his time at Manly.
"I've never put them on my hand – they're in a vault somewhere. I'll never wear them," he said.
"I didn't make a tackle. I shouldn't be wearing them."
Rahme said in his time with the Sea Eagles, most players would only wear their premiership rings to black-tie club or NRL events. Others wear them during grand final week.
He said clubs usually ask the company to make one or two extras each year, usually for players who play a vital role throughout the season, but then miss the grand final.
Clubs also have the option to ask for replicas, but while they might look the same, they're usually silver. The Panthers and the Roosters are the clubs to have done that.
Affinity Diamonds started making the premiership rings in 2015. Johnathan Thurston designed the 2019 version, an ICU nurse in 2020 during the pandemic, then-NSW police commissioner Mick Fuller in 2021 for his role in keeping the game rolling amid heavy restrictions in NSW, and legendary caller Ray Warren did the 2022 version.
Only twice has a player active in that season's competition had the opportunity to design the ring. On both occasions, they went on to win the comp.
The first was then-Cowboys second-rower Gavin Cooper, who did Affinity's inaugural ring in 2015. Sharks player Luke Lewis designed it the following year, in 2016.
They haven't had a player design it since, but Rahme said it might be just about time.
And he knows exactly who he wants.
"If I want the Sea Eagles to win, I might have to invite Daly Cherry-Evans to design it," he said.
IF WINNING THE RING
IS NOT EVERYTHING
WHY BOTHER TO KEEP THE SCORE ?
A quote from the Great Winner
Vince Lombardi
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