Close was invited into camp last year by the Maroons women’s coach Tahnee Norris to speak about what it means to represent Queensland and tell stories about the greats of the past. One of those stories included the 2005 night he, then Maroons team manager, famously “flipped the bird” at the NSW bench after Matt Bowen scored a golden-point try. When Queensland forward Tazmin Rapana “flipped the bird” at the NSW crowd after scoring a try in last year’s State of Origin series, america jersey 2024 it was also a one-fingered salute to Maroons legend Chris Close. Designed by his cousin and honouring his boxing legend grandfather Tony Mundine, napoli 24/25 kit Reimis Smith feels a very personal connection to Melbourne’s Indigenous jumper.