Unusual AFL Club Guernseys

The Adelaide Crows have released their away jumper for 2013 and I will admit that it will have to see it on the field before I can say that I like it. However a work colleague mentioned the www.footyjumpers.com website that shows all the various jumpers worn by each of the VFL/AFL clubs. Therefore this entry shows the more unusual choices made by clubs over the years.

The footyjumpers.com website was kind enough to include all of Port Adelaide’s previous jumpers on their website and I guess if they call themselves “One Club” then they should be included. So they get a guernsey in the article so to speak.

This is the Port Adelaide 1877-1882 version, a pink lace-up guernsey no less. This was changed from light blue and white hoops. Personally I think the players would have preferred the old guernsey instead.

Next is the 1883-1901 guernsey for Port Adelaide which is only marginally better with magenta replacing the pink and the inclusion of blue stripes. This was the last guernsey before the black, white (and teal for the Power) versions that we know (and in most cases hate) today.

  

The question I have about this is: How do you convince the players of a club with a tradition such as Port Adelaide, playing a tough man’s game that is Australian Rules football to wear Pink or Magenta every week ?

How about Richmond’s c1895-1901 guernsey instead, admittedly it’s a little hard to describe apart from the obvious black and gold hoops. However I’m sure I saw this on henchmen in a Batman episode from the 1960’s or 1970’s, perhaps they were inspired by Richmond's effort.

Below is the Fitzroy jumper from 1893-1896 where they wore Maroon canvas jumpers, with chamois reinforcing. It suggests to me that Fitzroy were doomed from the outset after wearing this guernsey. However it still took around 100 years for Fitzroy to cease operations.

Of course there is Footscray’s effort from 1887 to 1889 which could also pass for a night shirt. I guess convincing the player to wear this every week would be much easier compared to the early Port Adelaide guernseys. However I might consider joining a new club if this was presented to me.

Or perhaps the Hawthorn pre-season guernsey in 1995 that was only worn once in a game against Sydney. Quite rightly too I may add, it almost looks more like a West Coast Eagles guernsey with a hint of brown rather than a Hawthorn guernsey.

Here is the Saints guernsey from 1915-1918, the Saints originally had Red, Black and White as their current colours but changed the White to Yellow to avoid a clash with the colours Germany used in WW1. Ironically the current flag for Germany is Yellow, Red and Black. St Kilda reverted to their original colours after the war and they still use them today. However in my opinion the WW1 version is much better than the 2001-02 away guernsey shown further below.

I guess the one thing that could be said about the 2001-02 St Kilda guernsey is that you could never be excused for not spotting a player further up the field. But depending on the opposition side you were playing it could really limit the colours available for the umpires to wear. Although maybe a brighter version of the 1877-1882 Port Adelaide jumper will suffice.