Code wars: Which football code came out on top?

In the code wars, the A-League came out on top with an average score of 61.99%, slightly ahead of the AFL at 58.95%, followed by the NRL at 55.08% and Rugby at 45.71%.

A-League clubs came out on top, thanks to strong performances in several key design categories. For starters, teams like Wellington Phoenix excelled in the ‘Name’ category by connecting their brand to local culture and symbols effectively, giving them a strong identity.

In the ‘Colour’ and ‘Creativity’ categories, teams like the Western Sydney Wanderers used vibrant colours and unique designs that resonated well with their history and community, enhancing their visibility and appeal across various media.

Emblems played a huge role too. Unlike some NRL clubs like the Canberra Raiders, whose Viking emblem didn’t quite match their locale, A-League clubs managed to use emblems that spoke more directly to their roots and heritage, making them more meaningful to their supporters.

When it came to typography, the readability and scale across different formats were better handled by A-League teams, avoiding the pitfalls seen in clubs like the Melbourne Rebels, whose use of typography harmed  visibility.

Technically, A-League clubs like the Western Sydney Wanderers showed superior execution, ensuring their crests adapted well across digital and print media — a critical factor in modern sports branding.

Lastly, the illustration quality in teams like the South Sydney Rabbitohs stood out, contributing significantly to their overall scores.

All these factors combined to demonstrate why A-League clubs edged out their competition in the football crest code wars.