Rugby league fans were left seeing double on Thursday night as the North Queensland Cowboys beat the Gold Coast Titans 30-8 to keep their finals hopes well on track.
The Cowboys suffered a 82-12 loss to the Roosters last week but bounced back against the Titans to claim a 12th victory of the season and prove that 70-point loss was an anomaly.
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The NRL’s Indigenous Round is on this weekend and viewers were easily confused by the jerseys won by the Cowboys and Titans — North Queensland was sporting a light blue jersey and the Titans wore a navy jersey with yellow and blue Indigenous artwork.
It meant both teams looked eerily like the other, with the Titans’ jersey looking almost identical to the colour scheme usually worn by the Cowboys.
The optical illusion jersey clash had many viewers thinking the Titans were leading the game when in fact the Cowboys dominated with five tries, which were all converted by Scott Drinkwater.
NRL pundit The Mole posted on social media: “Is it just me or does the Titans Indigenous jersey look a little “Cowboy-ish?”
Bernie Cohen wrote: “Someone explain why these sides are wearing these colours and why did the #nrl allow it??
“No dramas with Indigenous jerseys but this bloody ridiculous. You only have to look at the colours on the score to question who the hell is who.”
Reginald’s Jumper Analysis posted: “1/10 jumper rating for tonight’s clash between the Titans and Cowboys. I am flabbergasted.
“How do we have two teams wear the opposite teams exact colours in the same match? How can one possibly tell who’s winning? Look at the scoreboard colours! How could they let this happen? Both sides are wearing the other sides colours. Absolute amateur hour.”
Pete Jeffrey wrote: “And the home crowd goes wild only to remember the away team are wearing their jersey.”
Stephanie Williams said: “Who the hell at the NRL decided it was a good idea for the teams to swap gurneys it’s so damn confusing for all.”
Another fan said: “These jerseys are ridiculously confusing.”
With young halfback Zane Harrison ruled out of the rest of the season with a hamstring injury, the Titans were rudderless in attack as their tough season continued.
“I think that’s the problem sometimes because youse have got three fullbacks in the team so everything’s side to side,” NRL great Justin Hodges said on the Matty Johns Show on Kayo Sports.
“AJ Brimson, Phil (Sami), Jojo (Fifita) on the wing, all these fantastic strike players who you need, but it’s side to side. You need 16 more (Keanu) Kinis.”
“But when you get it right and Tino does his job and the other big forwards do their job, your outside backs are so dangerous.”
“Watching the Titans they’re a frantic sort of side because they’ve got so many blokes who can bounce and move and get behind the markers, but couldn’t get it right tonight,” Nathan Hindmarsh said.
“Thanks for being positive,” Titans co-owner Matty Johns quipped, adding: “I thought they were a bit frantic with the football. Too much focus on their attack.”
Originally published as Footy fans ‘flabbergasted’ by optical illusion in Cowboys vs Titans game