What exactly is Eddie McGuire’s problem with Port Adelaide?
In a Footy Classified episode last year McGuire waxed lyrical about a football jumper being a sacred part of the fabric of a club. As a Port Adelaide supporter my jaw fell to the floor, as all Eddie’s ever done is attack my team’s desire to wear our heritage jumper.
Port Adelaide have worn the so-called prison bars for 130 of our 150 years. We could go into the whys and wherefores of our jumper changes during the war et cetera – but we could also mention that the precursor to the Collingwood Football Club, Britannia, played in hooped jumpers similar to those worn by Geelong and hooped socks as well, so please don’t use that as an excuse.
(Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
McGuire bangs on about copyright laws, which also confuses me, because our jumpers are nothing alike in design. If he wanted to go down that path, surely he ought to take a closer look at North Melbourne guernsey, which is almost identical in design with just a single colour changed.
On the other hand, Port Adelaide’s original guernsey and Collingwood’s modern-day one may share the colours black and white, but they are completely different in design. There’s no comparison.
Trying to copyright the colours alone seems like overreach to me. Just ask Cadbury, who has been forced to give up its trademark on the colour purple after court action from Nestle.
Most Collingwood supporters I know and have talked to don’t actually have a problem with Port Adelaide wearing our original jumper, especially as we’re only asking to wear them in Showdowns against the Crows. I’d be interested in the views of Collingwood supporters here on The Roar. Do you care or not? To me it has always seemed more of a McGuire bandwagon issue rather than a real club-wide position.
In his return to Footy Classified this week McGuire also ranted about how many jumpers Collingwood sell and how much financial assistance his former club gives to Port Adelaide and other clubs in the league in part due to proceeds from their guernsey sales.
How exactly McGuire thinks us wearing our heritage jumper twice a year is going to affect the club’s bottom line so badly is beyond me. When it comes to the general marketplace Port Adelaide are a small fish compared to Collingwood. If there were an effect at all, it would be tiny.
Port Adelaide isn’t asking to wear the strip every weekend and we don’t want to use the magpie logo. All we want is the chance to don the prison bars twice a year, the design we wore for 130 of our 150 years and the design we were wearing when we became the first non-Victorian football club given entry to the new national competition.
Perhaps it’s wishful thinking, but the best thing Collingwood could do right now to earn some quick and easy positive PR – and even distance themselves from McGuire if that’s the desire – is to let Port Adelaide wear the guernsey in the Showdown.
It’d be a magnanimous action from Collingwood and make the Adelaide derby that much more special.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Onwards To Victory. For lovers of all things footy. A documentary on The Port Adelaide Football Clubs history and entry into the AFL. Not a made up club just for the purpose of entry into the AFL but an alreasy established club, gaining entry into the AFL. Special comments by a host of people including Victorian legends even G. Cornes makes an appearance with a surprise admission about the Port Adelaide Football Club compared to Adelaide and Malcom Blight as well on how in his opinion a second team in S.A would only work if it was Port Adelaide.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
I know right, better late than never though, don't they say.lol. :stoked:
Micko
Roar Rookie
Geez, take your time Adam! :silly:
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Actually we didn't agree to change our identity, we are the same football club. Like it or lump it. And we also have the right to ask every year to wear them. So so salty.lol. :laughing:
Micko
Roar Rookie
It's not Eddie's issue. PA joined the AFL on T&C that they'll agree to change their identity, including colours, jersey, emblem etc, which they agreed to. To use an appropriate pun, it's a black and white situation: Port are NOT to wear the jersey in the AFL (except for a clearly designated "heritage" round.
captainpale
Roar Rookie
Arrogance and ignorance? You do not know me, making such sweeping generalisations is what you are allegedly complaining about.
captainpale
Roar Rookie
They probably do, but I am not a PAFC fan. I am from Sydney and i follow the Swans so i will stand by my comments aimed at Collingwood for obvious reasons.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
How exactly have I contradicted myself.?
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
I ain’t denying anything. You on the other hand … Why post if that is all you have to say and contradict yourself in the same article?
Good point
Guest
Here is a proposal. Port gets to play in their traditional strip and when they play Collingwood, the home team gets to wear the vertical stripes outfit. In finals they toss a coin to see who wears it. That is fair and reasonable in anyone's language.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
Wearing it against Adelaide makes perfect sense Micko.Port are hated in the SANFL very much like Collingwood in the AFL.Adelaide made a team up for ''A SIDE FOR ALL SOUTH AUSTRALIANS'' we said screw you we want to go alone...game is to sanitised these days but crows and Port game back in the day was some serious hatred,great rivalry which led to fights in bars off field and everything,oh how I miss those days
Angela
Roar Rookie
Not being part of the Victorian clique, this is not something I’ve been aware of until now but I’m sure it’s of great interest to many Port/Collingwood supporters as it seems to have a long and emotional history. While I understand the intensity of some of the feelings, from my point of view it’s irrelevant. What I do know is that when Eddie – rightly or wrongly – gets a bee in his thick head he will stop at nothing to get his own way. He came after the Swans for years behaving like a totalitarian dictator until things were re-organised to his liking. In memory of those years, I support Port in their endeavours and hope Eddie’s bully-boy resurgence fails and he falls flat on his face.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
Yep.Thats the one I read.I could be wrong but my understanding of the debate is Gill is happy for us to wear it,Buckley has publicly acknowledge it and endorsed it[must be that 1 flag he has] so it is Just Eddie,would that be correct
Empole
Roar Rookie
I've heard about the letter, although I haven't actually seen the letter itself to confirm what was said (and likely never will, the letter was between the presidents after all). There are public snippets, such as in 'From Destiny', but to my knowledge the whole contents has never been made available. However, the widespread nature of the story definitely lends credence to the possibility of it having occurred, which is just another layer to the piles for both sides - Collingwood could say their president acted against the club's interests, whereas Port could say Collingwood never honoured its own agreements (due to Eddie becoming president in 2000). If you're interested, here is a relevant snippet from said letter - "We at Collingwood are most grateful for Port Adelaide accepting it should enter the AFL with a change from its black-and-white colours and Magpie name which we have held dear to our hearts at Collingwood. I will reiterate to our board that if Port Adelaide Football Club should succeed in ranking higher than the Collingwood Football Club for three consecutive years in the AFL then our objections will be waived"
andyfnq
Roar Rookie
No-one cares as long as there is no clash with the other team. Everyone has a Home strip and Away strip, that should solve the problem and be the end of it
Maxy
Roar Rookie
Hey Empole,being a port man myself and reading you are doing a piece on the history of Port I am interested to know if you have seen the letter that did the rounds a while back.It was a letter allegedly signed by Allan Mcallister who at the time was the president of Collingwood,it stated we would wear the current Teal design upon entry into the AFL but if we finished above them for a certain period of time they would waive those conditions.Not sure if it was a fabricated letter or not,I remember seeing ages ago,it is posted on a Les Zigg article back in June last year in the comments section by someone,just not sure if there is any truth to it
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Yeah nah. I've always been told and been of the belief we never intended on keeping that at all it was just a smoke screen. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. I'll ask one the dads army boys on Tuesday night and what his take is on it, we have a poker game at my house, the guys been part of the club since the year Kennedy was assassinated.lol. its awesome its like a Port Adelaide History lesson every Tuesday night.lol.
Empole
Roar Rookie
The meetings actually came after the agreement. We made the agreement in May, but did not start the meetings until June-July. Rucci, like I said, only mentions the meetings in passing - he doesn't give a date in the article posted. So, I stand by us intending the honour the agreement initially - the timeframe and actions suggest so, supported by other sources like the wikipedia reference.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
I think i was looking at where you said we intended to follow through on that agreement, when in fact we were already in secret meetings before that happened. Rucci says thee same thing as well on the port website (as posted) so I'd be putting my money on it if I had to like you said rucci is probably the most reliable source when it comes to Port Adelaide.
Empole
Roar Rookie
No... read through what I said earlier. I specified it was inaccurately represented as there were only minor mentions of frustrations, and that I'd rewrite to better reflect what the reference contained. No mention of the meetings not occurring. Also, that link you provided only mentions them in passing... it wouldn't really pass as a reliable reference.