This thread is for people to express their opinion on what they would like the club the be doing by 2020, the clubs 150th anniversary year, and the direction you'd like us to be heading beyond that.
From my perspective I'll always come back to the clubs branding which is fractured and incoherent. Currently we have two monikers and from the outside, as much as we may correct people, perceived as two different bodies. In 2020 I would like to see the club complete a rebrand with one moniker representing the whole club in both the SANFL (or AFL reserves) and AFL. I think it would be fitting to do this for next year, although that is an impossible task due to apparel contracts now. My reason for the quicker push is due to Steven Summerton retiring I think would be opportune for him to go down as the last Magpie, a fitting end for me. My preference is for the club to drop both Power and Magpies monikers, stripping back the clubs brand and identity to the absolute essentials. The "Ports" moniker is our oldest and most used in our history. It was used on the Adelaide Oval scoreboard for decades and is in the background of Harold Oliver's famous 1914 mark. In hindsight we will grow fond of the Power moniker being symbolic of the 1990's, the time we joined the national league, but it is ageing, divisive, gimmicky, subject to derision from our fan base and as our brand goes, confusing. I want the club to be completely confident and comfortable in talking about our history at every available opportunity, tying in records of players across the SANFL and AFL era instead of talking exclusively about one or the other. From a local point of view our history is our greatest asset, but on the national stage our fractured representation is arguably an Achilles heel.
In regards to China, I fully endorse what the club is doing and I hope they go full steam ahead. It won't be easy but it will be worth it in the long run, if not already. There are already many people of Chinese decent coming to our games in Adelaide alone with University students having a disposition to us over the Crows if they see us as their club. Board members who want to play it safe should question what they bring as individuals to the club. We are not a club in a position to play it safe, or at least not push the envelope at every opportunity, as it will lead to middling results and ultimately we see ourselves return to 2011 type troubles.
In regards to participating in the SANFL...only if we can be competitive and if it is worthwhile. I think for the club it would be better for us to push for a national reserves competition now.
I hope we push for women football sooner rather than later. This also ties into the SANFL as well because if they keep making our life hard on these sorts of things I just don't see the point persisting with an organisation that hates our guts.
I want the club to be vocal on issues affecting the competition. I really like David Koch on this. He is a strong advocate for the Grand Final moving around the country not just on principles of fairness, but for the sake of the code. Calling out biases in the fixture in favour of Victorian clubs. Promoting the history of the code outside of the VFL, not just for our own benefit, but as the lone flag bearer coming from outside. Backing clubs in New South Wales and Queensland even if they are provided assistance to be competitive instead of tearing them down like Eddie McGuire. These states must be successfully integrated into the AFL. A healthy code of Australian rules football makes for a healthy Port Adelaide.
So basically. Keep with China, Keep backing the codes growth and keep it simple, PORTS!
On a side note, in regards to "Ports" the logo below is from 1912. That year we went undefeated during the season but lost the Grand Final finishing runner up for the 20th time. Then club secretary James Hodge used this disappointment to draw a line in the sand and set the clubs famous culture decreeing that Port Adelaide does not exist to come second and that our only purpose is to win premierships. Fos, in his creed, doesn't take credit for the clubs culture but builds on it indirectly citing what James Hodge put in place. The years following 1912 the club went on to win back to back Australian championships. If we are going to adopt any throwback from our history this is the one.
From my perspective I'll always come back to the clubs branding which is fractured and incoherent. Currently we have two monikers and from the outside, as much as we may correct people, perceived as two different bodies. In 2020 I would like to see the club complete a rebrand with one moniker representing the whole club in both the SANFL (or AFL reserves) and AFL. I think it would be fitting to do this for next year, although that is an impossible task due to apparel contracts now. My reason for the quicker push is due to Steven Summerton retiring I think would be opportune for him to go down as the last Magpie, a fitting end for me. My preference is for the club to drop both Power and Magpies monikers, stripping back the clubs brand and identity to the absolute essentials. The "Ports" moniker is our oldest and most used in our history. It was used on the Adelaide Oval scoreboard for decades and is in the background of Harold Oliver's famous 1914 mark. In hindsight we will grow fond of the Power moniker being symbolic of the 1990's, the time we joined the national league, but it is ageing, divisive, gimmicky, subject to derision from our fan base and as our brand goes, confusing. I want the club to be completely confident and comfortable in talking about our history at every available opportunity, tying in records of players across the SANFL and AFL era instead of talking exclusively about one or the other. From a local point of view our history is our greatest asset, but on the national stage our fractured representation is arguably an Achilles heel.
In regards to China, I fully endorse what the club is doing and I hope they go full steam ahead. It won't be easy but it will be worth it in the long run, if not already. There are already many people of Chinese decent coming to our games in Adelaide alone with University students having a disposition to us over the Crows if they see us as their club. Board members who want to play it safe should question what they bring as individuals to the club. We are not a club in a position to play it safe, or at least not push the envelope at every opportunity, as it will lead to middling results and ultimately we see ourselves return to 2011 type troubles.
In regards to participating in the SANFL...only if we can be competitive and if it is worthwhile. I think for the club it would be better for us to push for a national reserves competition now.
I hope we push for women football sooner rather than later. This also ties into the SANFL as well because if they keep making our life hard on these sorts of things I just don't see the point persisting with an organisation that hates our guts.
I want the club to be vocal on issues affecting the competition. I really like David Koch on this. He is a strong advocate for the Grand Final moving around the country not just on principles of fairness, but for the sake of the code. Calling out biases in the fixture in favour of Victorian clubs. Promoting the history of the code outside of the VFL, not just for our own benefit, but as the lone flag bearer coming from outside. Backing clubs in New South Wales and Queensland even if they are provided assistance to be competitive instead of tearing them down like Eddie McGuire. These states must be successfully integrated into the AFL. A healthy code of Australian rules football makes for a healthy Port Adelaide.
So basically. Keep with China, Keep backing the codes growth and keep it simple, PORTS!
On a side note, in regards to "Ports" the logo below is from 1912. That year we went undefeated during the season but lost the Grand Final finishing runner up for the 20th time. Then club secretary James Hodge used this disappointment to draw a line in the sand and set the clubs famous culture decreeing that Port Adelaide does not exist to come second and that our only purpose is to win premierships. Fos, in his creed, doesn't take credit for the clubs culture but builds on it indirectly citing what James Hodge put in place. The years following 1912 the club went on to win back to back Australian championships. If we are going to adopt any throwback from our history this is the one.
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