Port Adelaide and Gold Coast will renew their on-field AFL rivalry in Shanghai next season but the ugly off-field guernsey stoush is over.
The AFL confirmed on Tuesday that the Chinese experiment will continue, with the clubs to face off at Jiangwan Stadium – to be temporarily renamed Adelaide Arena – on a Saturday afternoon in round nine next year.
The lead-up to this year’s historic first match for premiership points outside Australia and New Zealand – won by Port by 72 points – was marred by bickering between the clubs over who had the right to wear their home jumper.
The Power, who are spearheading the venture and bought the rights to a Suns’ home game, were aggrieved that Gold Coast stuck to their guns and wore their predominantly red strip with yellow trim.
Those colours are closely aligned with the Chinese national flag, which Port felt would steal their thunder with local fans they were trying to win over.
Incensed Power chairman David Koch said that Gold Coast wouldn’t be invited back over the issue, but time has healed those wounds.
“It’s pretty simple, when we first started thinking about the China game in 2017 we were concerned about the guernsey – the reality is that it’s not that big a deal,” Power chief executive Keith Thomas said.
“It wasn’t a big deal to the people over there, it’s not a big deal to us.
“Gold Coast can wear its home guernsey … it is not an issue for us.”
Then-Suns coach Rodney Eade wasn’t thrilled with the fixture and his side duly put in a disinterested performance.
But Gold Coast chief executive Mark Evans said his club are fully on board with the showcase game.
“We’ve learnt many things from our match earlier this year, particularly with our team and supporter travel,” Evans said.
“We have a new coach (former Sydney assistant Stuart Dew), we have new plans, we have new players and a renewed spirit.”
Each team will have a bye following the China game to aid their recovery efforts.
By Jason Phelan and James Hall
Cat
Roar Guru
No, I was just responding to dave's question:
If AFL never exceeds Australia's border's I could care less. Won't stop me from watching and loving the game. Maybe it is the American in me but I have never understood the care factor regarding whether a sport is international or not. Having said that I have no issue with the AFL trying to expand past Australia's borders, just like I've never had an issue with the NFL playing in London and the now defunct NFL Europe.republican
Guest
......I like your analogy. Cat is I believe, an advocate for the pseudo internationalizing of our great game. He is one of a growing sub culture of cringe, who see themselves as citizens of the the global world, the paradox being that to be global is boring and homogenised. This sub culture struggles to value our game as merely domestic sadly, which is the exact opposite to what the American focus is in respect of their domestic brands, since they don't give diddly squat about what the rest of the world may or may not think about Gridiron, Baseball et el or indeed their respective international footprints..........
republican
Guest
.......something to do with a multi national tele dependency...........
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Both have global reach. I’ll leave it at that.
Cat
Roar Guru
And no one but you, perhaps, knows what your point is.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Most people know what a Big Mac is too....
Cat
Roar Guru
'Gridiron' may only be played professionally in North America, but the NFL has global reach and appeal. You'd be hard pressed to find anyone that is even remotely into sports that doesn't know what NFL is – even if they don't like it. AFL doesn't have that kind of reach, not even close.
dave
Guest
Australia has a small number of people playing grid iron, there was enough players to create a league in Perth.I don't know how these players ended up playing grid iron in Australia as we already have cricket and football(all codes) to choose from.Grid iron is not an international sport and yet we have Aussies showing an interest. Now If the AFL ended up having the same percentage of the Chinese population playing Aussie rules football as we have Aussies playing American rules football the AFL would be very pleased with themselves. Cant see it happening though.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
"And what interest would the Chinese have in playing AFL, or watching, a game that has no international standing? If they're to take up any foreign team sport they know which one it should be - the one that dominates the world, football. Many Chinese are now aware that careers, fame and fortune can be found in football. The Chinese government also knows that winning in football delivers international acclaim. According to a recent ABC Foreign Correspondent's report the government plans to have 50 million players and set up 50 thousand coaching schools in the next 10 years. The aim is to have China become a world soccer super power by 2050." Maybe the government should spend $4 million to stage an A-League game instead. Just a suggestion. And judging from some of the comments above it seems even AFL fans aren't too keen on the China AFL exhibition game either.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
"The Shanghai game is said to cost $4 million to stage. Australian governments and the AFL itself make the contributions, making Port Adelaide a net beneficiary and explaining why it is the strongest advocate for a regular Shanghai fixture."
Mattyb
Guest
Claudio,what's your point? We're selling Australian Rules not Australian sport. If China wants an exhibition soccer game they'll go to a country with a decent competition and get it from there. The ALeague is completely irrelevant in this conversation. Why would a country outside Australia want to show the A League as an exhibition,it makes no sense.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Please provide a link and data showing how much taxpayer money has been spent on this project, otherwise your assertions can be disregarded as so much uninformed guff
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Its not a code war. Why does the AFL get so much government money for waste of time events like these. They are the sporting code that needs the handouts and junkets the least. There would be a bigger crowd, more TV viewers and trade deals done if it was a football match. So what is the real reason for these Aussie Rules exhibition matches.
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Save the Gorillas!
Harsh Truth Harry
Roar Rookie
Redb...ridiculous comment....you really think the Chinese would know those teams better? I don't want my Bombers wasting time and jet lag going over there in an utter waste of time exercise, no thanks. What is this obsession with China? Just because it is big doesn't mean it is the answer to everything.....scrap this pointless exercise now.
Redb
Roar Guru
Wrong teams to send. Hardly inspiring, one a minnow club the other reasonable size but still on the small side. It should be a Collingwood, Adelaide, Essendon, Sydney that go, to expand the game. Big AFL names.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
I hope you’re not referring to me Tom. I’m all for peace & harmony.
TomC
Roar Guru
Another code warrior. What a waste of humanity.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Why would the Chinese want to endure an A League game? Most Australians are bored senseless by them. Why impose them on the Chinese? What have they done to deserve that?
Cousin Claudio
Roar Guru
Lets give it a try and find out.