News broke this week that Port Adelaide president David Koch has warned his opposite number at the Gold Coast, Tony Cochrane, that the Suns will never again be invited to China if they wear their home red-and-gold guernsey for May’s historic match.
Not for the first time in his high-profile role at the Power, Kochie is kidding himself. And here’s why.
I’ve been critical of Port Adelaide’s attitude towards playing premiership games in China ever since they announced their intentions last year.
I’m fully supportive of the idea to play AFL games overseas, and the push to try and get in the door of the potentially highly profitable Chinese sporting market, as well as the faint hope that one day our great game could move beyond the borders of Australia and become an international competition, is definitely a concept worth investing time and money in.
But from day one, the Power have placed themselves on a pedestal which I find ridiculous. If Port want to broaden the horizons of the AFL and try to succeed in China, then great, power to them. But the refusal to sacrifice a single Adelaide Oval home game, and make some other team give up one of theirs to fly their players on a 15,000-kilometre round trip (more if it was a Melbourne or Sydney club) while at the same time keeping all the rights as if they were the home side?
It just left a bad taste in my mouth. Why should Port have the right to proudly label themselves as AFL pioneers, going where no club had gone before, and not have to sacrifice anything to do it?
I’ll admit, as a Western Bulldogs fanatic, when Port announced their intentions for 2017’s Shanghai match, I immediately feared my club would be the one to take the plunge, if only for the sizeable payout that sacrificing a home game would ensure.
Could you imagine Hawthorn, or Collingwood, or any of the successful interstate clubs giving up a home game and deprive 50,000 diehard members the chance to cheer on their team? Nope.
It would be one of the cash-strapped clubs, like the Bulldogs, or North Melbourne, or perhaps Carlton, that would be forced to take the plunge.
Fortunately, for whatever reason, be it a financial consideration or perhaps a desire to also crack the Chinese market (after all, plenty of Chinese tourists visit the Gold Coast), the Suns agreed to Port’s terms.
Fine. Fair enough. I don’t really understand why, but good luck to you.
But for Koch to now thank the Suns for their generosity by demanding they play in their white away strip or never be invited back?
Give me a spell, Kochie.
Why do Port think they have the right to corner the Chinese market for themselves, especially since they aren’t even willing to sacrifice a home game to do it? Indeed, Gold Coast has a much stronger link with China than some greasy seaside town on the outskirts of Adelaide.
According to a poll of 3.6 million Chinese tourists, it’s China’s fourth-favourite holiday destination. And the Suns’ red and gold jumper matches China’s national colours. That’s sure to get a few Chinese fans on their side.
Port Adelaide seem to think that having the Suns play in their predominantly white away guernsey was part of the home rights Gold Coast signed over for $500,000 when they agreed to the match. But in truth, the jumpers teams wear have very little to do with who’s the ‘home’ side and who’s the ‘away’ side. It’s all about whether the jumpers clash.
The AFL have set a precedent that if there is no clash whatsoever between the home guernseys of two sides, both sides may wear their home jumpers. That’s why in last year’s grand final, both Sydney and the Western Bulldogs wore their regular strips, down to the Bulldogs’ standard blue shorts.
Yes, if there’s even the slightest clash – like, say, St Kilda and Collingwood – the AFL deems it appropriate for the away side to wear a light-coloured ‘clash’ strip, but in the case of Gold Coast and Port Adelaide, there’s not the remotest chance of that. Not even the shorts clash – Gold Coast’s are bright red-orange, while Port’s are charcoal black.
Maybe ‘Jumpergate’ is just the result of Port Adelaide wanting to squeeze every last drop out of the home rights they paid Gold Coast $500,000 for. In that case, how about removing the worry and volunteer one of your own home games instead of poaching them off someone else?
Very rightly, Gold Coast, Cochrane and new chief executive Mark Evans have stood firm thus far (if only the team they represent had showed such conviction in the past two years!)
They have every right to wear their regular home strip, which, thanks to the colours, could open up parts of the Chinese market to them as well.
Heck, if both sides can integrate themselves in Shanghai and develop a fan-base over there, which should be an aim for both sides, the Gold Coast-Port Adelaide fixture could well become not just a yearly fixture, but potentially a marquee match.
Koch claims Gold Coast are “playing silly buggers” in this war on jumpers. But if you ask this author, the only silly bugger here is the guy from Sunrise.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Aw come on Brendon, as you say, taking cheap shots at other clubs is about the only thing left for me to do, certainly as you say there's not a lot to cheer on the field or off it. Bit harsh on the sponsors call though, we did just line up a sponsorship with XXXX which meant a much tastier beer when I was at the Gabba last night. Looking forward to a lot more of those throughout the course of the year.
Don Intine
Roar Rookie
koch is a tosser end of story good luck to gold coast wear the colours!!!!
Brendon the 1st
Guest
Port did all the work and Paid GC a cool half mill to come and play, the "home" game argumemt is silly, home is just a word, the game is clearly a Port initiative. If it hadn't of been GC it would have been another team, and Port have already made a couple of million through Chinese sponsorship, GC have the opportunity to do the same, if they wear the away jumper, if not, they don't get invited back and someone else reaps the benefits. I'm happy Kochie has gone to bat for the club, that's his job and so far he's done fantastically well, Adelaide Oval, Renault and Energy Australia sponsorship, now chinese sponsorships, big crowds, excellent work and long may he continue in the role. Hey Paul, how are the Lions going at the moment? Crap crowds, no sponsorship and looking good for the wooden spoon, no wonder you keep spouting the hate.
Brendon the 1st
Guest
Paul, you need to get over that grand final and the 100 point flogging Port gave you last year, your Port bashing is getting old and repetitive. Give it a rest.
Dan
Guest
They tried New Zealand and it wasn't ticking the boxes
Sam
Guest
I like the idea of expansion and China is clearly a very large market. That said, I'm not certain it's strategically the best choice. New Zealand or even South Africa are a far better choice. There are large expatriate communities here and there have already been efforts in these countries previously. Furthermore both New Zealand and South Africa participate in the AFL International Cup. Add to that the fact it is a physical, full contact sport that rugby fans in those countries could appreciate, I think there are two better choices than China.
GJ
Guest
Love him or hate him, Kochie is trying to showcase our great game to the world .. he should be applauded for trying .. I struggle to believe the long term health of the game we love will ultimately survive without ongoing international exposure
GJ
Guest
cough cough cough i say BS .. i do not believe any other club would ultimately been as gracious as the PAFC regarding the home strip final. You can say what you like re the Richmond strip, I believe PAFC were shafted
Paul D
Roar Guru
With the final against Richmond, the problem was that both Richmond's home and away strips had a black stripe which was going to clash with Port Adelaide's black stripe. Port's away strip was the only one that didn't clash. You can argue that they should have had to have designed a different away strip, that didn't have a black stripe to avoid this, or that the clash of stripes wouldn't have been an issue, but those were the only jerseys they could wear, and what they based their decision on. Anyways. I think Koch has been really short-sighted about this. The author makes mention that the Suns could grab attention and start a rivalry - if Koch is serious about going to China and staying, having a local rivalry is the fastest way to grab attention and drum up interest. Surely any attention is good attention
GJ
Guest
No problem, i agree with you. However i still struggle to understand why the AFL deviated from the "home team" strip on this occasion(the final). Clearly they have set a precedent. Also agree on presidents trying to force an agenda .. however does everyone expect Kochie to fight or roll over and wait for a tummy scratch?
Cat
Roar Guru
Being told by the AFL when it is their purview to decide who wears what jumper is one thing, being given an ultimatum by another club president who has no power to make the decision, is quite a different thing.
GJ
Guest
I think Tim's point in the scheme of thing's doesn't hold up much at all .. nor your point for that matter
GJ
Guest
A number of people here criticising PAFC for wanting Gold Coast to wear their away strip .. .again there seem to be a lot of short memories .. i seem to remember PAFC being told to wear their away strip for a home final a few years ago .. any thoughts on that?
GJ
Guest
How did you feel about the contracts that the Melbourne clubs had at Eitiad prior to the AFL fast tracking a buy out? Or Sydney with ANZ for that matter ..
Paul D
Roar Guru
They’re allowed to play home games outside of Adelaide – they just have to play a minimum of 11 there. Nothing stopping them from buying one off someone else. The main argument though is that Port are being insecure and as usual putting their own self-interest ahead of the broader interests of the game – anyone who followed the circumstances of their original duplicitous attempt to join the competition in 1990 behind the SANFL’s back should not be least bit surprised by this.
Slane
Guest
So why try to sell a 'home' game to China if you aren't allowed to play home games outside of Adelaide Oval? This reeks of Port trying to have their cake and eat it too.
Josh
Expert
Great read Tim. Especially like the use of "power to them" ;) I agree very much. Kochie's ego is big enough to have better seating that Adelaide Oval right now.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I think this warrant special circumstances, although paying the money just gives you home rights, it doesn't give Koch to carry on like a tantrum throwing toddler in a supermarket aisle Also don't give Eddie ideas
Cat
Roar Guru
Buying of home games shouldn't be allowed. Maybe Eddie will go around and offer to buy up opponents home games so Collingwood can play all season at the 'G.
Paul D
Roar Guru
The Chinese people should take an instant dislike to Port Adelaide, it saves time.