Richmond has an away strip that it wears in matches to avoid a clash against teams with similar colours.
So how the Tigers are not wearing that jumper, or even another one, that contains plenty of yellow down the front, for the elimination final against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval is honestly beyond me.
Port has earned the right to host the final after finishing higher in the ladder, and deserve to reap the benefits, such as wearing its traditional home jumper.
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But the AFL have banned the Power from wearing its black jersey in the final, to avoid a clash with Richmond’s predominantly black home strip.
In the English Premier League, clubs have a number of different coloured jumpers and strips. Although some jerseys may be unrecognisable at times from their main colours, it’s all part of the game when they play away, and the fans are now used to it.
In the AFL, many clubs are marketing the away strips and those jumpers have become as much a fixture of the club than the original ones. Fremantle’s all white strip with the purple anchor and the Western Bulldogs’ predominantly all white jersey with the blue and white hoops are two examples.
The Dogs also have a predominantly red ‘away’ jumper, which to me is a bit uneasy on the eye, but it’s different than what most other clubs wear. Mind you, they only wear it occasionally.
Essendon’s grey jumper with the red sash is not a great look and nor is it popular, but the Bombers now begrudgingly accept it.
Collingwood has always protected it’s iconic black and white stripes but have given permission for Port Adelaide to wear the prison-bar design of its SANFL team for Sunday’s final against Richmond.
It’s a nice gesture, but I’m not sure Collingwood should have to.
Although the prison-bar design has been part of Port Adelaide’s SANFL team for its entire existence, it’s still not their traditional AFL jumper. You can understand why their administrators and supporters are up in arms over this decision.
It will look a bit unusual to see the Port Power players wearing the prison-bar design on Sunday, but at the end of the day it will be a minor matter for Travis Boak and company in their quest to book a spot in an AFL semi-final.
It’s just the principle of the matter, but full credit to Port Adelaide’s professionalism in the way they have handled this. By the time the ball is bounced, all eyes will be on the footy, but as usual it’s given us something to talk about.
Radelaide
Guest
Well I'd say the whole guernsey gate thing turned into a non event, you could've had both teams wearing black and you still could've told them apart such was the difference in play.
Get-A-Life
Guest
So much for expert option- Port have not worn the Black & White for their entire existence - only 1 club has worn the B & W for their entire existence!
Alex L
Roar Rookie
Given Hawthorn had to play West Coast in their clash strip during an alleged home game earlier this year, it's hardly a state based decision. Money and marketability talks.
Paul Nicholls
Roar Guru
And at the end of the day both teams will be wearing black anyway. All a bit amateurish.
Judy Atu
Guest
What a lot of bull has been written all over a footy jumper, Senator RY go and have a cool shower talk about get worked up over nothing. Sorry but the AFL is the AFL used to be VFL then we got the SA whingers in and a couple of other teams and it's now the AFL and I can tell you a jumper is not going cause the downfall or decline of the game, So build a bridge and get over it
Adam
Guest
Because that simply makes too much sense!
Senator RY
Guest
Yeah Yeah, big deal, im a port fan and im extremely happy that we've been given an opportunity to wear out traditional strip. I can understand the butthurt comments about some melbourne based clubs not having a clash or true away strip. NEWS FLASH people any one who supports a non vic club will tell you how the AFL is actually the VFL, this is not news to us, its always been this way since the AFL's inception and is, to be frank, the norm and its attitude problems like this that will ultimately stunt the growth of the game.
bryan
Guest
Over the years,I have seen this happen a number of times at Subi Oval,with the Dockers or Eagles wearing their Away jumpers,because the visiting team are wearing their normal "Home" one. The Dockers Away outfit is quite good,as is the current WCE one,but the latter have had some horrors,which looked like they were designed by Kindy kids!
Radelaide
Guest
Lol, yeah they're just making it up as they go.
swanny
Guest
Seriously Richmond The clash jumper is pathetic how hard is it for every team to have one home jumper and one clash/away strip. the clash strips that collingwood, Richmond and Essendon have are hardly a clash strip at all, there is simply a tiny change of colour Richmond wore a yellow jumper with their tiger logo in the nab cup. They should wear that ! But wait it's still the vfl so sorry port, wear your away jumper please!
Epiquin
Roar Guru
Can't the various AFL clubs just bring out a new jersey each week with any colour they choose? Give the New Zealand Warriors a call. they might be able to show you how it's done.
Olivia Watts
Roar Guru
I have no idea who made this decision or why it was made. Forget all the nonsense on who's jumper 'clashes' in this case, the simple truth is that the team playing at home has always worn its home guernsey and, in today's modern landscape, it is the visiting team who should be forced to change if change is required . Personally I find Richmond's change strip useless as it doesn't represent enough of a change to be meaningful so the AFL erred in ever approving it but, all that said, if a change IS needed (and I don't think it is) then Richmond should be the onen making it. As Sergei the Meerkat would say, "Simples".
The Minister
Guest
Fair enough Jason. The ongoing circus around this "story" is quite something though. I hope everyone can come to their senses and resolve this issue diplomatically and then - pretty please, with sugar on top - play the f***ing game.. That's unless one team is not too psychologically scarred by not getting to wear their apparel of choice.
Evan
Roar Rookie
Exactly, they need to make a white or yellow based strip, it's not that hard, even sooks like Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon have one.
Jason K
Guest
I sense your sarcasm. It is a bit of a dry bit of twaddle, but for some reason boneheads like me find it totally compelling. I think that AFL jerseys are, to use a completely fey term, gorgeous! Yes, I am a dude. I know how it sounds, what I just said. Really it stems from when I was a kid.
Judy Atu
Guest
Cab't blame the Tigers it was an AFL decision
Lamby
Roar Rookie
How hard is it to enforce an away strip that does not clash with every home jumper? There is nothing stopping a team having more than 1 away strip (EPL teams have 3 new strips each year - home, away & clash)
josh
Roar Rookie
Aren't Port wearing what is for all intents and purposes a home jumper? Every AFL club needs 3 jumpers, Home, Away Clash. It's not hard and it doesn't take anything away from tradition. For starters, the Essendon and Richmond clash jumpers are a joke. And Collingwood, less said the better. The AFL should make it mandatory, if they don't want to play, then can join any other professional Australian Rules football competition if they wish.
Lazza
Guest
Again with a clash jumper controversy? It looks like an insurmountable problem for the AFL who just don’t seem to understand the concept even if every other sport in the world does. Teams have ‘clash’ jumpers that clash or if it’s not the teams then the umpires uniform is a problem. How about we simplify it to make it easier for the AFL and at the same time attract a new legion of female fans to the sport. The away team just wears ‘skins’ like we used to do for practice matches at training when we didn’t have any bibs available. Eddie wouldn’t complain because they’re not wearing an ‘alien’ jumper with different colours and the ladies would love it.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
As an ex-Vic, I'm happy to say to the AFL hierarchy: stop pandering to the big vic clubs - tell them to stick it up their jumper, preferably, a real clash jumper that they have to use every now and then.