Harris designs jersey strip for HB match

Hawke's Bay-raised rugby league star Tohu Harris has turned to jersey-designing to create a special Melbourne Storm strip for next month's historic NRL game against St George Illawarra Dragons in Napier.

The Kiwis international player and former Hastings Boys' High School pupil will also get to model the jersey, as a player in the game expected to attract about 16,000 sports fans to McLean Park on July 25.

Details and the first image of the jersey were released exclusively to Hawke's Bay Today by the Melbourne club and club strategic and communications manager Dave Donaghy said from Australia: "This is certainly a very special jersey, designed by Tohu with input from family and friends back in New Zealand to reflect its significance to the area."

The design, embedded mainly in the jersey's lower-half traditional purple, draws on Maori and Pacific Island designs, and highlights the different cultures making up the Melbourne Storm family, while staying true to Storm's traditional colours.

"The inspiration came from family in Hawkes Bay and Hastings but the jersey represents a lot more and a lot of the people from that area," Harris said.

"On the jersey there is a lot of Maori and Pacific island designs. We have a strong link with that here at Melbourne Storm and we wanted to show that everyone is together and united."

"I'm very happy with how it's turned out and the boys are excited to wear the jersey and play in Napier in front of a full McLean Park."

Although Storm fullback Billy Slater is now out of the season with injury, Melbourne will still expect to have a team of stars, including Harris, and current State of Origin series Queensland players wing Will Chambers, scrumhalf Cooper Cronk, hooker and captain Cameron Smith and forwards substitute Trent Merrin, and Harris' fellow Kiwis Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor.

St George have former Kiwis superstar Benji Marshall, and Origin series New South Wales full back Josh Dugan, and substitute forward Trent Merrin.

Ticket sales continue to be steady following the initial thrust of about 5000 in the first week in early March, as fans from throughout New Zealand picked-up on what will be the first NRL competition match in Hawke's Bay, although two matches against invitation sides were played by Manly Sea Eagles and Canterbury Bulldogs in the early 1990s.

About 1000 reserved seats are still available, along with general admission mainly embankment tickets selling at $20 each.

While the novelty of the game dominates interest some sales could hinge on the situation of the two sides by the time of the Round 20 match, seven rounds before the top-eight playoffs.