Tribal psychology can often be used to explain the origin of team monikers. When humanity lived in tribes, animals were adopted as totems in order to solidify all the individuals around the commonly appreciated strengths that the animal represented. When humanity created sporting clubs, they likewise chose monikers to achieve similar purposes.

Unfortunately, Australia's marketers have not shown a great deal of imagination when choosing names for Australia's sporting teams. The general aim has been to indoctrinate Australians into an American tribe. As a result, American NFL names such as Titans, Raiders, Broncos, and Cowboys prevail in Australia's sporting leagues. The cultural mimicry is especially disappointing because when creativity has been applied, some very successful names have been produced. The Brumbies and Dockers are two such success stories. Other possible names for any future marketers wanting to follow in their footsteps include:

Image strengths - The canines of the marine world

Seals are the canines of the marine world, and anyone who likes Dogs generally likes Seals. They have a strong social instinct, like to play and are endowed with courage and agility. So fond are people of Seals that they are favoured attractions at marine amusement parks. Likewise, so much does the American Navy admire their qualities that the elite forces have adopted Seals as their moniker.

Promotion - Answering the age old questions

To gain some media exposure, marketers like to arrange a personal meeting between their team and the animal mascot. For example, the Brisbane Lions AFL club has sent its players to feed Lions at the zoo. Although such promotions are not without merit, watching someone tamely feed a lion doesn't raise a great deal of emotional erectness. The same idea could be embraced, but livened up a little by encouraging the animal to show an interest in the sport. Although playing football with a Lion may be a risky affair, it isn't such a risky affair with a Seal. Seals have shown they like to play with balls, and people have shown they like to watch Seals play with balls. Usually these balls have been round, and so are rarely a great challenge. For many marine park goers, the age-old question has been how a Seal would handle the egg shape of a football. If a football team used a Seal as its moniker, this question could finally be answered. More importantly, the club would get a great deal of promotion that may be a little more on the interesting side.

Another age old question is whether someone trained in the defence forces is mentally tougher, and stronger, than a professional athlete. A sporting team named Seals could try their hand at a Navy Seal training camp so that this question could be finally answered.

Headlines - Sealing the deal

A lot of a club's image is built through the headlines which almost everyone reads, even if they don't read the underlying article. One of the great strengths of Seals is that it lends itself to clever headlines such as:

• Something fishy in the seal den
• The sealing goal
• The deal is sealed
• Lips sealed at ....
• Queen gives seal of approval
• Seal flips out
• Seal bite worse than bark
• Seals ward off circling sharks
• Seals play ball
• Seals all at sea
• Slippery seals show how it is done
• Life's a beach for Seals
• Seals put on a show
• Seals go fishing

Location

Seals would have been perfect for the Gold Coast NRL team that is set to make its debut in 2007 in the form of the Titans. Initially, the Titans wanted to be called Dolphins, but when they was informed that the name was already taken by a club in the local area, they went to the American NFL to search for something new. As the Seal is also a marine mammal that is an attraction at marine amusement parks, it seemed like the perfect substitute. In fact, it would have been superior to Dolphins because aside from lending itself to more promotions, and media headlines, it hasn't already been taken by an NFL club.

Perhaps a Gold Coast AFL team could use it in the future. If not, its image would fit any other coastal city in Australia. Melbourne may get a Union team in the foreseable future, and perhaps Seals could serve them well.

Image strengths - A true-blue Aussie battler

When threatened, a Funnelweb rocks back on its hind legs and lets venom drip down its fangs. A dog raises its hackles, growls and bears its teeth. As for the Blue-Tongue, its defence is to show that it has a big blue tongue. To reinforce the threat, the lizard stands its ground, hissing and drawing as much attention to the tongue as possible. Confronted with such an odd sight, one can't help but think that there is something to fear about tongues afterall.

Around Australian gardens, the Blue-Tongue is a popular sight where it wanders along hunting snails, spiders and other pests. But at times they have a bit of cheek about them, as they are famous for stealing dog food.

Blue-Tongues grow to 60cm in length. They don't have well defined teeth but when they bite humans, they have a tenacious habit of not letting go, contributing considerably to the pain.

As well as being unique individuals, the Blue-Tongue is a suitable name as it associated with the colour blue, which from a psychological perspective, is seen to represent loyalty and trust. It is also regionally associated with Australian sayings saying as 'True Blue.'

Promotion - Licking lips at the possibilities

A cross-industry promotion with an icy pole company could get sporting fans walking around with a blue tongue, and so ensure that they share the lizard's novel trait. For Kiwis who love their country and defend its reputation to the death, but prefer to live in Australia, such a promotion may finally persuade them to reconsider their allegiances. While Australia's sun, beaches, superior economy and unique animals have so far been unable to convince Kiwis to see Australia as home, the opportunity to stick their tongue out, and be celebrated in the process, could yet be the icing that allows the Kiwis to concede that Australia is indeed a great cake.

Headlines - Getting tongues wagging

Lots of puns based on blue or tongues such as:

• Tongues tied
• Tongues true blue
• Tongues feeling blue
• Tongues wagging
• Tongues licked
• Tongues lick blues
• Tongues feeling blue
• Tongues go blue collar
• Tongues get in old-fashioned blue

Location

Blue-Tongued lizards live throughout Australia so the name wouldn't be out of place in any Australian city. For marketing purposes, the name is ideally associated with New South Wales due to the states strong association with the colour blue. It would have been good for Sydney's new soccer team, Sydney FC. In fact, it probably could still be used without a change in the name. (It would just be used like Manchester United which has is affectionately known as the Red Devils.) The name could also be used for a representative Australian Football team if the AFL ever does away with the 'Allies' concept. It could also be used to give the NSW cricket team a name slightly more imaginative image than 'Blues.'

Image strengths - larrikin blue bloods

Some sporting teams have found that a Pirate moniker has been good for community solidarity. Some teams have found solidarity with monikers such as Raiders, Bushrangers, Barbarians, Buccaneers, Devils, Demons and Rebels. Oddly, few Australian teams have added Convicts to this deviant category of team names.

The lack of Convicts is surprising considering that when Australian marketers looked at the history of the target city, Convicts would have been the first thing that they came across. With the exception of Adelaide, every state capital was built with Convict labour. In total, Convicts were sent to the colonies for 80 years, or the founding third of Australia's urban existence.

Of course Australians aren't the biggest history scholars and so perhaps marketers could be forgiven for not being book worms. However, any marketer with an interest in sport should still have known about Convicts as the Poms have a habit of reminding Australians every time the two countries clash at cricket. In fact, the word 'Pom' even seems to be Convict inspired. Depending on who is asked, Pom is a table-turning acronym for Prisoner of Mother England, or a diminuative of Convict inspired rhyming slang for immigrant.

Promotion - Getting back in the shackles

An excursion to a famous site with some kind of loose affiliation is always a great way to build a sense of regional definition. If the team was was based in Sydney, an excursion to old Convict sites at the Rocks, Hyde Park Barracks, or the many buildings designed by Francis Greenway could achieve such a regional affliation. A bit further out of Sydney, the team could savour some of the wines from Wyndam estate, another legacy of convict labour.

For some cross-industry promotion, some photos of the team drinking James Squire, a fine tasting beverage that honours the Convict who brewed Australia's first beer.

Headlines - Convicts make compelling case

A team called Convicts would no doubt keep journalists happy as they imagine all the possible puns they could make with it. Such headlines include:

• Convicts flogged!
• Convicts break the shackles
• Convicts steal the game
• Jury out on convicts
• Convicts work on defence
• Convicts judged harshly
• Convicts break new ground
• Convicts doing time
• The chains that bind
• Convicts find the weak link
• Convicts escape again
• Convicts make a strong case
• Convict show depth of their conviction
• Convicts find the key
• Convicts plan big heist
• Convicts steal the flag
• Convicts lagging
• Chain gang recruits new members
• Convicts committed for life
• Convict sentenced to nine weeks
• Convicts break free
• Convict on the run

Location

Bar Adelaide, every state capital was built with Convict labour thus could be associated with it. If Adelaide wanted to remedy a historical wrong and so rid itself of its wowser label, it could probably take Convicts as well.

Tasmania and Sydney have the strongest Convict legacy so would probably benefit the most. Currently, the Sydney Convicts are the name of a Rugby Union team that plays in an international league, and the Convicts are a representative Australian Rules team.

A national representative team could also be known as Convicts. Considering that that Australian sports lovers generally have to deal with Convict taunts in foreign countries, it would be worthwhile just to embrace the label as a source of pride.

Image - The Bravehearts letting the horse have its head

The word 'Highlanders' would probably evoke images of Mel Gibson leading the Bravehearts to freedom. Although the kilts, wee laddies, Loch Ness Monsters and dwelling swordplay of ye Old Scotland are quite cool, cultural mimicry is never a desirable behaviour. Differentiation could be achieved by a picture of the most famous scene from Australian's most famous poem - the time when the Man from Snowy River let the pony have its head. To associate the image with a particular sport, a football could be drawn under his arm, or a cricket bat in his hand.

Promotion - Riding on the high ground

Mel Gibson had a good promotion idea for Braveheart. He jumped on a horse, and rode through the streets of New York bowling over all the policeman that stood in his way. The same idea could be adapted and applied to Aussie conditions. Alternatively, the opening of the Sydney Olympics began with highland horseman bounding onto the arena. A similar idea could be adapted to the needs of the area.

Headlines - even the headliners must take a pull

• Doesn't lend itself to media headlines.

Location

The name is only suitable for a club in the ACT region. In the future, the ACT may get a Soccer club, and may again enter a Cricket team in a nation-wide competition.

Other names

Bush - A great place

Bushmen - Getting in there, high on every man's agenda

Woomeras - Adding a bit of thrust

Boomerangs - Coming back for more

Cockatoos - Who's a cheeky boy

Kookaburras - Just for laughs

Goannas - Lizards of Oz

Dragons (Water) - Enough myths. Real Australian variety

Carradhy - In the footsteps of the Bidjigal warrior, the clever, or hitman, that every team needs

Diggers - Miners or soldiers. Either way, anchored in heritage

Dingos - One for the babies

Emus - A partner for the Kangaroos

Swaggies - Gone walkabout

Yobbos - At home on the piss or cheering in the stands, either way, the ideal fans

Yabbies - Tenacious little fighters

Stockmen - When cowboys become men

Furnace - In love with a sunburnt country

Scorchers - Streuth, it's a hot one!

Larrikins - Breaking some rules

Serpents - Will there ever be a rainbow?

Wattle - Gold in the maiden's hair

Eucalypts - Strong and sturdy

Bogones - The working man's butterfly

The Fat-Arsed Wombats -Aiming for a McDonald's sponsorship

Barramundi - On the hook

Cod - One to let go

Redbellyblacks - Bomber fans in the garden of Eden

King Browns - In need of some venom

Hydros - Turning the rivers inland

Turbines - Electric

Platypuses - Watery dream, but careful about the sting

Water rats - Native cunning

Bunyips - Making some myths

Yowies - The missing link? Catch them with a banana

Australian names in use by professional teams

Devils (Tas)- Footy

Dockers - Footy

Tigers (Tas)- Cricket

Bushrangers - Cricket

Redbacks - Cricket

Kangaroos - Footy, League

Wallabies - Union

Waratahs - Union

Brumbies - Union

Boomers - Basketball

Taipans - Basketball

Opals - Basketball

Indigenous to the world

Eels - League

Sharks - League

Magpies - Footy

Crows - Footy

Eagles - Footy, League

Crocodiles - Basketball

Odd names in use

Perth Glory (Soccer) - Glory holes in a gay club. Perfect for Soccer

Sydney FC (Soccer)- Might have been an attempt to copy the web address of a footy club, or perhaps creating a moniker was beyond them

Queensland Roar (Soccer) - At least the two year olds can have fun making noises

Melbourne Victory (Soccer) - Guess they didn't want fans to think they aspired to be Melbourne Losers

Western Force (Union) - Going to the dark side

Melbourne Storm (League) - Dreary name that hasn't taken Melbourne by storm

Sydney Swans (Footy) - One for the ballerinas

Saint Kilda Saints (Footy) - About as much imagination as Sydney FC

The Allies (Footy) - Gearing up for the Axis of evil

Adelaide 36s (Basketball) - Since they wanted to name themselves after a number, 69s might have held more emotional appeal

Extinct

Canberra Cosmos (Soccer) - One from outer space

Northern Spirit (Soccer) - A spirit that just wasn't shared

South East Melbourne Magic (Basketball) - Not even Merlin could save this one

Geelong Supercats (Basketball) - If Supercats had been good, then Superdupercats would have been even better

Cultural cringes

Perth Wildcats (Basketball) - Feral cats have lost their appeal

Nth Queensland Cowboys (League) - Australian names such as Stockmen or Jackaroos just don't seem to match it with that Texan strut

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