Clash strips to be used just twice a season
14 April 2006
Herald Sun
Jon Pierik
THE AFL yesterday moved to douse hysteria over the jumper issue by declaring clubs may only have to wear the alternative strip once a year.
Clubs are in the process of developing a clash jumper after the AFL told them last year it needed to settle on a design by next year.
AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said the jumper would have to be worn, at most, twice a year.
"The purpose of this policy is to provide a clear point of difference between the playing uniforms of clubs for the benefit of spectators at the ground, television viewers around Australia and participating players," Demetriou said.
"We estimate a club would wear its clash jumper once or twice per year, depending on how the fixture fell in any particular season.
"There is no intention on our part to adopt a home-and-away uniform policy."
Demetriou's comments came after Essendon chairman Neil McKissock told Collingwood president Eddie McGuire in yesterday's Herald Sun to "pull his head in" as the jumper debate became intensely personal.
McGuire wants the Pies to retain their traditional stripes for clash matches, and has described other clubs, including Essendon, as "gutless and weak" for their stance.
The Magpies, though, are the only club to have submitted a 2007 season clash guernsey to the AFL: white guernseys with black stripes.
The Bombers have looked at four designs, with the final tipped to be predominantly red.
Geelong president Frank Costa joined the debate yesterday, telling McGuire the Pies would have to fall into line with every club.
"He might have to be prepared to modify, in fact he will have to be prepared to modify," Costa said.
"As long as he does that in keeping with the spirit of the jumper, so it doesn't get too far away but it falls into line, it will be fine."
Costa said the issue would prove to be a "storm in a tea cup".
"Eddie has just expressed his point of view a bit more strongly than others but, when it's all settled down, the AFL does have the final say," he said.
"That's why we have a body called the AFL.
"I am sure that the official body is not going to be silly and unreasonable, it's going to be sensible to your members. At the same time it will cover the needs of not having a clash."
Adelaide chief executive Steven Trigg urged the AFL to fight the Magpies.
"It's a test all right because Eddie has drawn a line in the sand and it will need to be confronted head-on," Trigg said. "There is an understanding about the cultural background, the history.
"But there is a commercial reality to what we do that we have all agreed to abide by – bar one."
Richmond president Gary March said the Tigers would reluctantly produce a clash jumper. "It's not the time for clubs to be taking shots at each other," March said.
He said Tigers chief executive Steven Wright would meet AFL general manager Gillon McLachlan next week to discuss the issue.
The Tigers' jumper may clash with those of Essendon and West Coast.The Pies and Kangaroos clash at Telstra Dome on Monday, with concerns the two striped guernseys clash.
But Kangaroos captain Adam Simpson said yesterday he would have no problem identifying a teammate.
"We've been playing in the same type of jumpers for 100 years so it doesn't worry me if we both wear the same jumpers," Simpson said.
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