Essendon's alternate strip

[pazza]

Yeah but it'll never get worn according to Eddie.

As for ours..well it seemed to do the job it was supposed to do, but, there is one problem with it.

Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on the highlights I've caught of the game, but, the white numbers do tend to blend into the red on the back!

Could we take one step further and no longer use white (a colour we don't officially recognise anyway) and go for either a black panel with red numberinging..or a red panel with black numbering.

 

[Dan26]

As an Essendon member, I am disappointed at the immature attitude of the club regarding the clash guernsey. Of the four options presented, the members chose the option closest the original, not because it solves clashes, but because of its similarity. The club then states they will do whatever they can to ensure it's not worn, continuing to look for loopholes. It's frustrating that this backwards attitude regarding jumpers crops up in our sport, yet nowhere else. I'd hope the supporters were comfortable enough with our identity and history to avoid insecurities about different designs that don't make us any less Essendon. I, for one am not proud of having an unchanged jumper for 133 years, for the reason that not changing the jumper requires no effort. Anyone can "not change" by sitting around and doing nothing. I can't help but feel there are bigger fish to fry, instead of wasting the AFL's time with ineffective designs

 

[OB1]

As an Essendon member, I am disappointed at the immature attitude of the club regarding the clash guernsey. Of the four options presented, the members chose the option closest the original, not because it solves clashes, but because of its similarity. The club then states they will do whatever they can to ensure it's not worn, continuing to look for loopholes. It's frustrating that this backwards attitude regarding jumpers crops up in our sport, yet nowhere else. I'd hope the supporters were comfortable enough with our identity and history to avoid insecurities about different designs that don't make us any less Essendon. I, for one am not proud of having an unchanged jumper for 133 years, for the reason that not changing the jumper requires no effort. Anyone can "not change" by sitting around and doing nothing. I can't help but feel there are bigger fish to fry, instead of wasting the AFL's time with ineffective designs

You are right about 1 thing Dan, the alternate jumper doesn't solve the clash but neither would the other proposed designs. The problem (that personally I only believe exists with Melbourne) isn't in the design but the colours. Red & black clash with red & midnight blue. Melbourne changed their blue back to dark & the new synthetic materials make the blue look very close to black. Hell even their supporters new scarfs & beenies look red & black. The only way to truely avoid the clash of these colours is to actually wear another colour jumper. So far no club has done this. Stkilda for example introduced their thin stripe jumper which makes their clash with Collingwood much worse yet nobody seems to criticise them.
I am also a member & I'm glad the club isn't simply bending over to the AFL. If they want to force every club to abondon their traditional colours for a few games a year then fine, make that rule. But don't come in half arsed with a marketing ploy & try to pass it of as being in the games best interest. If other clubs want to change their identity for a few extra $$ then good luck to them but I believe that the tradition of our jumper & brand is worth much more. Would you like to see Essendon run out in a green jumper or how about sky blue that wouldn't clash. The reality is that the AFL's clash jumper policy is a joke & doesn't nothing at all to address clashes only the marketing dollars of different jumpers. As long as the AFL has this policy we may as well treat it with the destain it deserves. Why should we change our jumper if it doesn't actually serve its supposed purpose?

 

[Red Crow]

Yeah but it'll never get worn according to Eddie.

As for ours..well it seemed to do the job it was supposed to do, but, there is one problem with it.

Maybe my eyes were playing tricks on the highlights I've caught of the game, but, the white numbers do tend to blend into the red on the back!

Could we take one step further and no longer use white (a colour we don't officially recognise anyway) and go for either a black panel with red numberinging..or a red panel with black numbering.

Talk about numbers blending in... I think when out on the field and you are in the stands these would be EXTREMELY hard to read!

 

[Red Crow]

Stkilda for example introduced their thin stripe jumper which makes their clash with Collingwood much worse yet nobody seems to criticise them.

Actually, it wasn't meant to be a clash jumper, just an away jumper for all away matches. When they realised it clashed even more with Collingwood, they ditched it. They now have the white with the faded club logo one.

But you make a good point when you say the guidelines are not strict enough. The AFL are doing it a bit half-arsed. If they said, all must be predominately white, or a completely different colour then that would be better.

 

[longsuffreosupp]

I thought it was ok. you could definately tell it was essendon, so it did its job.

 

[mantis]

Bombers are black & red. they are our colours & we won't wear anything other than that.

 

[Dan26]

You are right about 1 thing Dan, the alternate jumper doesn't solve the clash but neither would the other proposed designs. The problem (that personally I only believe exists with Melbourne) isn't in the design but the colours. Red & black clash with red & midnight blue.

Exactly right. That's why the black needs to be replaced with white/grey/silver for games against Melbourne (as the away team)

If they want to force every club to abondon their traditional colours for a few games a year then fine, make that rule. But don't come in half arsed with a marketing ploy & try to pass it of as being in the games best interest.

It's in the game's best interest to have distinct jumpers on the field and the Bombers only clash with a couple of teams so it's no major issue. The AFL should really not have accepted Essendon's "cop out" alternate jumper. It's essentially the AFL's fault for agreeing to it.

If other clubs want to change their identity for a few extra $$ then good luck to them but I believe that the tradition of our jumper & brand is worth much more.

Change their identity? Don't make me laugh. I'm comfortable enough with our identity and history to avoid insecurities about different designs that don't make us any less Essendon. I'd hope you feel the same way. A design that would be worn 2-3 times per year at the MOST, regardless of what that design is, is not a "change of identity." That's melodramatic nonsense.

Would you like to see Essendon run out in a green jumper or how about sky blue that wouldn't clash.

That wouldn't need to happen as a clash jumper can easily be made by staying close to the current jumper and design, and making slight alterations to the "shades" i.e white, grey, or silver instead of black.

But to answer your question directly, if Essendon used a polkadot green clash jumper for two games a year against Melbourne, I couldn't give a stuff as long as we win. The official colours are red and black and will always be so, regardless of what is worn as a clash jumper, so who cares? I remember Liverpool (the Reds) running out in an all green jumper once. Big deal? I'm sure all the fans wanted was for them to win.

It's like rocking up to the office in t-shirt and thongs instead of the traditional suit. Who cares as long as you do your job?

The insecurity over this irrelevant issue is mind-boggling.

People like Mantis still don't "get it." They write, but don't "listen" and their ignorance is simply awful.

 

[mantis]

Change their identity? Don't make me laugh. I'm comfortable enough with our identity and history to avoid insecurities about different designs that don't make us any less Essendon. I'd hope you feel the same way. A design that would be worn 2-3 times per year at the MOST, regardless of what that design is, is not a "change of identity." That's melodramatic nonsense. .

Yet strangely a lot of past players were involved in the push to us not having a clash jumper, guess them having actually played for the club & the jumper, have less idea, than some dimwit, who sits watching other sports on pay TV & thinks we should be like those sports.

 

[Dan26]

Yet strangely a lot of past players were involved in the push to us not having a clash jumper, guess them having actually played for the club & the jumper, have less idea, than some dimwit, who sits watching other sports on pay TV & thinks we should be like those sports.

Stop using over-emotional irrelevant arguments from other people. It's pathetic. How is a past players emotional investment in the club any different from you or me who have been following Essendon since we were born? The only difference is I wasn't talented enough to play. And "a lot" is not every past player. What they think is irrelevant anyway because a clash jumper is needed (not wanted) to differntiate between teams of similar colours. It's a necessity. That's why it is totally irrelevant what past players think.

If you are so insecure that you would base your support of the club on a jumper change (twice a year) you are pathetic. Other sports don't care about a clash jumper. Why don't they care? BECAUSE IT'S NO BIG DEAL. Why are you making it one? Why?

The annoying part is, you don't even understand what I am saying to you. It goes right over your head. You have NO logic. PROVE to me you are open-minded. Prove to me you're not an idiot. For God's sake show me SOMETHING that will make me respect you.

What Essendon wear to avoid a colour clash for two games a year is irrelevant and not worth the fuss you are making. So if the Bombers wear a grey clash jumper and win by 100 points what will you do? Throw your membership in? Go into mourning? Jesus Christ, do you have any idea how ignorant you sound? Are you even aware?

Think before you respond. One day you might surprise me.

 

[KissStephanie]

My point exactly, thankyou for agreeing. Collingwod bleats traditon and not wanting to change it, yet readily abandoned their traditional home ground instead of upgrading it just to move to better facilities. That my friend is being a hypocrite which is my point.

You aren't exactly an architect or an engineer are you? You also seem to have little knowledge of the ground, the area, or local politics either it would seem.

Victoria Park is owned by the City of Yarra, and the renovations required to upgrade it to both a suitable playing and training facility were not permitted or cost effective. The differences between Windy Hill (a lower ground capacity but room for quality gym and training facilities under the A.F Showers Stand) and Victoria Park (a larger ground capacity, but no room for improved gym and training facilities under the Jack Ryder Stand, the Bob Rose Stand or the T.W Sherrin Stand) is not comparible as the design of both grounds are different to one another.

The social club at Victoria Park was also not at all up to standard to attract new members due to it's design, and parking at the ground is non-existant which was one of the main problems as the local city council were reluctant to improve the parking around the ground, and the only parking available is in residential streets which annoyed local home owners. The move to the Lexus Centre had nothing to do with the keeping of tradition but a necessity in an attempt to keep up with the interstate clubs in a national competition.

It's not as if Collingwood abandoned Victoria Park as discussions to save the ground as a home base for the Collingwood Football Club was ongoing for some considerable time until the only realistic option left was to move. To have an alternative jumper is not a necessity though, so therefore it's not at all comparible to moving facilities to improve performance. Collingwood may clash to some people with maybe two or three other teams, so to reverse the black and white stripes as they have with their alternative jumper should be more than enough.

Most of the alternative jumpers (Fremantle, West Coast, Bulldogs, Melbourne, and Brisbane in particular) are ugly, and if you're suggesting that Collingwood should be making extreme changes as well, then you're dreaming. It's just not a necessity, but at least they have an alternative jumper which is unlike Carlton and Sydney.