Port Adelaide says it’s “extraordinarily disillusioned” the AFL has denied its request to put on its iconic black-and-white striped “jail bars” guernsey for subsequent weekend’s Showdown with the Adelaide Crows.
Key factors:
- Port Adelaide was known as the Magpies and wore black and white stripes in its SANFL days
- Port chairman David Koch mentioned the AFL would high quality the membership and dock factors if it wore the geurnsey
- Ex-Collingwood president Eddie McGuire mentioned “let’s simply go to the Federal Courtroom” over the problem
The Energy had requested to put on the guernsey for its native derbies with the Crows to honour the membership’s heritage because the Magpies, which they had been known as of their SANFL days.
The Collingwood Magpies protested this, though Port was allowed to put on the jail bars for a 2020 sport towards the Crows to mark their one hundred and fiftieth anniversary.
However the AFL confirmed it had not given them permission this time due to the prevailing agreements between the league, Port and Collingwood.
“That settlement, signed by all events, stipulated the guernsey was particularly accepted for Port Adelaide’s use just for that single match in 2020 and Collingwood’s approval didn’t bind it with respect to some other future proposals by the Port Adelaide Soccer Membership in respect of the guernsey,” an AFL assertion learn.
Port Adelaide chairman David Koch mentioned he was pissed off by the AFL’s refusal to offer the membership permission to put on the guernsey towards the Crows.
“Port Adelaide signed an settlement with Collingwood in 2019 to put on the jail bars guernsey in our one hundred and fiftieth anniversary dwelling Showdown in 2020,” he mentioned in a membership assertion.
“On the time, each events had been unable to succeed in settlement relating to ongoing use of the jail bars and subsequently deferred consideration for future use to a later time limit. That is precisely what we’ve got been making an attempt to do for almost 12 months now.
“We additionally observe that the AFL has reached at this time’s determination based mostly on the prevailing signed agreements in place and consult with the 2019 settlement solely. There isn’t a point out of the 2007 settlement additionally signed by all events offering Port Adelaide with the choice to put on its heritage jail bar jumper as soon as per 12 months in dwelling AFL heritage rounds.
“Port Adelaide signed that settlement in good religion.”
Koch mentioned Port Adelaide had solely requested to put on the guernsey in Showdown matches.
“We aren’t asking to put on it as an everyday dwelling or away guernsey and even outdoors of South Australia,” he mentioned.
“As we have at all times maintained, the AFL personal the mental property rights to all AFL golf equipment, and subsequently this can be a determination the AFL could make independently in representing what’s in one of the best pursuits of the sport and all golf equipment.
Koch mentioned Port Adelaide’s frustration “sits squarely with the AFL, not Collingwood” and he believed the membership’s request was “affordable”.
“This difficulty is not going away. It’s too necessary to our folks and our membership,” he mentioned.
Earlier on Adelaide radio, Koch was requested what would occur if the staff simply wore the jail bars in spherical eight with out AFL permission and he was informed they’d forfeit factors from the sport.
“I mentioned, ‘I am glad to pay a high quality’ and [the AFL] mentioned, ‘we’ll high quality you and take factors off you’, which we will not afford,” he mentioned.
After being allowed to put on it as soon as final 12 months, the struggle kicked off once more later in 2020 when Port followers petitioned for the staff to put on it in each Showdown, however then-Collingwood president Eddie McGuire put his foot down, referring the matter to the AFL’s authorized division.
McGuire mentioned on Channel 9 this week “let’s simply go to the Federal Courtroom”, whereas displaying a replica of a 2007 settlement that gave Port permission to put on the strip in now-defunct heritage rounds, offered the sport was not towards Collingwood.
The AFL’s assertion mentioned it could maintain working with Port Adelaide and Collingwood relating to the guernsey dialogue.