Jumper swap ‘a poke in the eye’

THE AFL will not take any action over Port Adelaide’s decision to remove its match-day Power guernseys and wear the historic “prison bars” jumper while singing their team song in the change rooms after thumping the Crows in Showdown 49 on Saturday night.

On April 29, the AFL knocked back Port’s request to wear its black-and-white heritage strip, citing agreements between the league, Port and Collingwood.

The AFL took no umbrage to them changing into the strip after the match because, from the league’s perspective, Port followed the directive not to wear the bars in the game.

However, former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire told Fox Footy Port Adelaide was playing with fire by antagonising the AFL.

McGuire and Port Adelaide chairman David Koch have been sparring for months over the issue, but McGuire said the Power had an agreement about manufacturing the jumpers and was running close to the wind.

He said Koch needed to make sure he didn’t get his nose “broken” by sticking it into AFL politics.

“The AFL may be saying nothing. But that is a direct poke in the eye to Gillon McLachlan and the AFL commission,” McGuire said.

“They are playing with fire on this because they have signed an agreement that they would not manufacture any of those jumpers for merchandise and the crowd. They are starting to overplay their hand.

“It has moved out of Collingwood and Port Adelaide and moved onto City Hall, who are paying them $7m a year more than the Collingwood Football Club.

“That is fire. So there you go. David Koch is sticking his nose into the AFL territory. It’s a big nose. I hope he doesn’t get it broken.”

Power coach Ken Hinkley described the decision to wear the historic jumper after the game as a “sweet little moment” when speaking on 3AW radio in Melbourne on Sunday.

He said the club didn’t discuss its decision with the AFL.

“You can wear what you like in your own rooms I think,” Hinkley said.

Hinkley said the guernsey also represented the fight Port faced to enter the AFL in the first place.

“Things got in the way ... and they had to keep fighting and they kept fighting and they eventually got there and our history as a football club is so proud, so strong,” he said.

But not everyone is a fan of the club’s decision to wear the heritage strip.

Collingwood legend Dane Swan was among a chorus of footy fans voicing their disapproval.

“Please don’t tell me that they put this on after the game? If so this may be the most cringe-worthy thing I’ve seen at AFL level,” he tweeted.

“Absolutely no way it was a player driven idea and FYI I have no problem with ’em wearing it in a game, so save that retort please.”

Port captain Tom Jonas said the significance of the moment was important to the players.

“It was only a small statement for the significance of what the jumper means to our club and our people and we wanted, as players, to show them how important it is to us too,” he said.