Sherrin

A full size Sherrin Lyrebird ball

Sherrin is a brand of football used in Australian rules football and is the official ball of the Australian Football League, designed to its official specifications. It was the first ball designed specifically for the sport. Sherrin footballs are manufactured by Spalding, owned by Russell Corp Aus P/L, in Melbourne, Australia from cow hide lined and machine-stitched, but other sized models are often made in India or China, using synthetic rubber.

Specifications

FULL SIZE BALL (SIZE 5)

• 720mm circumference (Parallel to stitched seam).
• 540mm circumference (perpendicular to the stitched seam).^[1]

History

The first Australian rules football was invented by Thomas William Sherrin in 1880, when he was given a misshapen rugby ball to fix. He designed the Sherrin with indented rather than pointy ends to give the ball a better bounce. The sport known as football, or "footy", was rapidly increasing in popularity, and Sherrin footballs soon became the icon for being the first ball made for Australian rules football.

Sherrin began production in 1897 in a workshop in Collingwood, which had produced a variety of leather sporting goods since 1880, including footballs, cricket balls, boxing gloves and punching balls. The quality of Sherrin's goods was widely regarded.^[2]

Awards

• Awarded Prize Medal and First Order of Merit, Adelaide International Exhibition, 1881
• First Order of Merit Melbourne Industrial Exhibition, 1879–80
• Diploma of Merit, Centennial Exhibition, 1888–89
• Certification for use in the VFL
• Certification for use in the AFL

Sizes, models and colours

Models of the Sherrin football include:

• KB (Kangaroo Brand): The full and correct playing size for adult men's competition, made to AFL and most other league specifications.
• Size 4.5 (women's): Slightly smaller than a full-sized ball, made to women's league specifications.
• Size 4: Smaller than the KB model, popular among players aged 10–13. Usually made from rubber synthetic
• Size 3: Smaller again, and popular among players aged 6–10. Usually made from rubber synthetic
• Lyrebird: Made by Sherrin but slightly different in comparison with other Sherrin models and sizes, with a slightly pointier angle for easier kicking and marking. The Lyrebird model is around $40 cheaper than the KB Sherrin, because of the lower quality and durability. Made from Indian imported leather
• "Soft-Touch": These are made in all sizes, but are made with a soft-dense rubber rather than leather or rubber synthetic, to give the ball a "soft-touch" (also making the ball easier to kick and mark)
• Colours, rubber or leather, different sizes: These are factors for the player/consumer to decide. Sizes 3 and 4 are popular among children aged 6–13, while genuine leather, full-sized KB models (the red coloured KB used for day AFL matches, and the yellow coloured KB used for night or indoor AFL matches) are popular among players aged 14+, beginners, intermediate, or advanced players. AFL club colours, mascots and logos printed on various sizes of the Sherrin are also popular with fans of the club and players.

The meaning of "Kangaroo Brand"

The term "Kangaroo Brand" ("KB") refers to a type of Sherrin football. When T.W. Sherrin started manufacturing footballs, several models were produced (such as the "MATCH III" Sherrin), but the "Kangaroo Brand" was Sherrins best-selling, highest-quality, and most favoured and traditional football.

Endorsements

Sherrin is the official brand of football used by the Australian Football League, which has been the case since the 1880s.

At the state level, Sherrin is used in the Victorian Football League and North East Australian Football League (based in NSW/ACT and Queensland). The other major brand of football is Burley-Sekem, which used at state level in the South Australian National Football League and West Australian Football League.

Illegal Child labour stitching footballs

A 12-month-long investigation by The Saturday Age, a Melbourne newspaper, has suggested that "Two of Australia's best-known football brands, Sherrin and Canterbury, have operations in India that use banned child labour."^[3][4] The kids were paid 7 rupees (A$0.12) per ball and it took 1 hour to make 1 AFL ball.^[5] $1/day to stitch footballs.^[6] This claim is in direct contradiction to the company website that claims the balls are made in Scoresby.^[7]

A follow-up investigation by Fairfax Media in September 2013 revealed that another brand of rugby balls was being stitched using illegal child labour in Jalandhar, Punjab for sale in Australia.^[8]

References

External links

• Official web site