Nick Salter and Matthew Broadbent of Port celebrate victory after the AFL Round 16 match between Port Adelaide Power and the West Coast Eagles at AAMI Stadium. The Slattery Media Group
There have been calls for Port Adelaide to wear their ‘Back In Black’ guernseys permanently as a clash strip. But never mind the rare use of it as a clash strip, they should make it their permanent home kit.
Port Adelaide donned the black guernsey with the teal and white V in the weekend’s Round 16 clash with West Coast at AAMI Stadium.
It was part of the club’s annual Planet Teal competition whereby fans are given the opportunity to design a guernsey to be used in an AFL match. The winner this year was a seven-year-old girl and the design has been embraced not only by the fans, but also the players and coaches at Port Adelaide.
Port Adelaide coach Mark Williams said after the weekend’s win over the Eagles, “If you polled the players I think they’d want to wear it every week. They love it.
“Port Adelaide back in black I think is something that sits nicely with the club, so it would be fantastic.”
Indeed, Williams, as the son of South Australian great Fos Williams, and also as someone who played in four premiership winning Port Adelaide Magpies’ sides in the SANFL, knows all about the club and it’s traditions.
Williams added, “This one looks like Port Adelaide. It looks tough. It looks hard to beat.
“I know the white one has been a big hit with the kids because you can sign them, they are easy to sign, and that’s important because you need to continually have a relationship with the kids coming through.
“But I think the traditional Port Adelaide people love the black.”
And the traditions of Port Adelaide were in some ways lost by the Power when they made a lot of decisions (which still remain to this day) prior to joining the AFL in 1997. You could argue it has hurt the club’s attempts to capitalize on the Magpies supporter base in Adelaide with fans not identifying with the new franchise.
And there’s no ignoring the fact the Power register the worst home crowds in the AFL year in year out, with an average attendance of just under 25,000 at AAMI Stadium this season despite playing in a two-team city.
But returning to the original point about the guernsey, and it should be noted the Power still to this day wear the strip which was designed back in the mid-90s at their home games at AAMI.
Aesthetically, that uniform seems to be a random assortment of white triangles which are supposed to represent ‘power’ or ‘lightning’ over a black and teal background. When it was designed back in the nineties, it was supposed to be innovative or different, whilst maintaining some elements of the Magpies’ SANFL kit, but the reality is it seems completely random.
Indeed, it seems odd that the Power continue to wear the uniform, especially considering how outdated it is as something created in the nineties trying to be ‘innovative’.
But the kit which the Power wore on the weekend, was something which makes sense.
As the Power slogan goes, the guernsey is ‘Back To Black’, suggesting a relevant return to the traditions of the Magpies and their connotation as the boys in black.
Interestingly, there was a poll on the Adelaide Advertiser website on Monday asking, ‘Should Port adopt the black guernsey as it’s permanent away guernsey?’. The response from over 200 voters was an emphatic 96% for yes. It is clear the uniform is popular.
Last week I wrote as piece published on The Roar about the potential nicknames for the new Gold Coast franchise and how these things should evolve naturally.
Upon consideration of that, you ponder Port Adelaide’s case where the club was labeled the Power and given an ‘innovative’ uniform by people behind the scenes before their inception into the AFL fifteen years ago.
Yet in 2009, a seven-year-old fan has come up with a design which the Port supporters really like. It’s a natural evolution emerging from the supporter base, which the Power management should embrace.
Interestingly, Port Adelaide president Brett Duncanson commented on the topic saying, “We may look at it as our away strip.
“We’ll raise it at management level and see what we think is the best option.”
The best option, in my opinion (as ‘out-there’ as it may seem), is taking it another step and making it the club’s official home kit.
Williams made an interesting point earlier by saying the current clash, or away, kit was a white one which was popular with the kids. Also a clash kit should serve it’s purpose and provide an option as something to wear when two uniforms clash.
Making Port’s ‘Back To Black’ guernsey their away strip, when it’s so similar to their current home strip in terms of colour, is pointless.
So it’s time to discard the old and bring in the new.
And the reality is, as Duncanson openly acknowledged, the ‘Back To Black’ strip ‘is an outstanding design’. Especially in comparison to their current home guernsey.
Adrian
Guest
A beautiful jumper and it really connects to the Port Adelaide essence and history, if the club’s board is smart enough they should use it as the official club Guernsey.
Steven Metzger
Guest
That's a fantastic guernsey. Much better than the crap that they've been wearing since they joined the AFL. They look like the San Jose Sharks (the team that I work for in the NHL) alternate jerseys (both old and new), which I love. If they need a clash, they could just switch the black and white.
Timmuh
Guest
Prison bars, prison bars, prison bars - and when Collingwood are away to Port, Collingwood can suck it up and have a real alternative jumper.
Tifosi
Guest
They should have been allowed to wear the black and white stripes from the start. God forbid two teams could have a similar jersey. Part of the Port Adelaide heritage and story died when they had to change. No wonder everyone hates collingwood. Anyway its a great shirt. Much better than the one they play in now.
Michael DiFabrizio
Expert
Absolutely. It's a brilliant jumper, real intimidating. And the way Williams has spun it -- back in black, looks like Port Adelaide -- makes it even better.
Redb
Roar Guru
kazama, "but being named after a power plant is still pretty lame IMO." Oh I dunno, think of the sponsorship potential for a toy maker like Lego. You could make up little power station models for the kiddies. Redb
Michael C
Guest
Love the jumper - the old grannie rule has to apply for a decent jumper - - i.e. can someones grannie knit it?? If yes - - then, it's a good jumper, if no - - then it's some snotty marketing graduates idea of what a good jumper is.
Tom
Guest
I really like the jumper, but unfortunately it clashes with the Crows, which is a bit of a problem for Showdowns. Better if both sides could wear their first jumper. Has anybody ever suggested Port Adelaide wearing the prison bars for the Showdown? Its never broadcast into Melbourne so it couldn't piss off Eddie McGuire too much.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Redb - not too sure about that, maybe there are some Power fans out there who can enlighten us (unlikely), but being named after a power plant is still pretty lame IMO.
Redb
Roar Guru
Kazama, Michael, The "Power' comes from the power plant on the Port Adelaide River, is that right? If yes, at least there is some link rather than some marketing 'numpty' name. Redb
Michael
Guest
Pirates is better than Power in my opinion. Most things are though.
Kazama
Roar Guru
Ryan Steele: 'I remember there were even submitted ideas as ridiculous as “Port Adelaide Pirates.”' With pink jerseys, no less. cccc
Pippinu
Roar Guru
Yeh, it's hard for an AFL fan to come to grips with all white strips. 1. It reminds us of the Swans' 72 year premiership drought, but most importantly 2. it reminds us of the time when the white maggots ruled the roost. A few EPL clubs have all white strips, or very close to it, and I find it hard to get excited about such teams.
Redb
Roar Guru
That is a good jumper, a little retro, but at least a footy jumper not some marketing designed 'modern' strip. Curious comments from Mark Williams though, I know the jumper and colours are important but if you "ain't got no heart" it matters little. I agree a white strips look soft, especially Fremantles, but I do like the Hawks away strip. Redb
Redb
Roar Guru
cccc for Collingwood cccccccccccccccccccccccc for Carlton. (cheatin' lyin' tankin' scum) Redb
Pippinu
Roar Guru
if you hate Collingwood, click four "c"s: cccc
Ryan Steele
Roar Pro
As I recall, the original name and designs (logo, guernsey, et al) came about in the same way as this new strip - fan-submitted ideas and voting. I remember there were even submitted ideas as ridiculous as "Port Adelaide Pirates." I must admit, the new strip did grow on me very quickly, and, while it's hard to say for sure (without asking the players), the fresh look of the squad may have livened them up enough to play as well as they did. It's a funny old thing. It's hard to get a club to make a permanent change like this, but with both the players and coach possibly backing it, and the club having success on the strip's debut, it could happen. Kudos to that seven-year-old. She might even get sourced by other clubs/sporting codes to design their strips, as well.
mattamkII
Roar Rookie
hands up who hates collingwood?
Brian
Guest
Kinda looks like they're wearing a Big V. Otherwise its good but really let them wear black & white stripes
Michael
Guest
This guernsey is an absolute winner. I couldn't agree more with the comments and the article. A lot of other teams could do well to take a look at this simple design and adopt it themselves. This is exactly the sort of thing Port should be wearing, and as a Crows supporter, Adelaide should take a leaf out of the design book here. I still think Port made a big mistake in the colours and name of their team when they entered the competition. In a small way they are [paying for it now by failing to attract members. There are deeper reasons for this of course but I've no doubt it is part of the problem.