MFC have bigger battles to fight which make very real differences to our Club in the long term than grandstanding about our colours for 3 hours on one day of the year.

It's not like we had a problem with colours 9 days ago or anything.

Open YOUR eyes.

MFC have bigger battles to fight which make very real differences to our Club in the long term than grandstanding about our colours for 3 hours on one day of the year.

I would have thought the club and Cameron Schwab's statements on how important our history and heritage is, how important our jumper's (red & blue) representation is to it's fan base; is an integral part of the fabric of this club.

It's not just about 3 hours on one day of the year either. I think you understand that. Sure there are bigger battles. If this battle is so petty to you, then the AFL might think the same and let Melbourne wear it's traditional jumper to it's home games.

I'd say there are lot's of supporters and members behind the club for it's survival and making a difference.

If the AFL direct or insist Melbourne on wearing a clash guernsey. We may never play Essendon again in a traditional sense - Home or Away !

I think that is worth making a stand for. Others may disagree and roll their shoulders. They will most definitely do it again the next time, say the Gold Coast ? GWS ?

It's not like we had a problem with colours 9 days ago or anything.

That is considered different. Good try though. That was for a special cause. That won't happen every year.

Hi Ash.

I don't mind our club wearing an away clash jumper at Essendon home games.

Emotional or not, I don't think Mfc should have to bend over to wearing an alternative jumper, when it's our "home" fixture.

Fwiw, I would rather Essendon wear their normal jumper against us, than the away clash jumper (with more red) at our home games. Less of a clash.

Can't understand why Essendon doesn't just wear one of their training jumper designs (white) with the red & black Bomber logo on the front. Black numbers.

To be honest, I really don't care if we wear pink with purple spots, as long as it doesn't clash I'm happy. Hence why I was so impressed with St Kilda and Essendon yesterday.

The Essenson board/marketing gurus/whoever have come up with our alternate jumper, the AFL have approved it, so it won't change. But from a supporters point of view, I'd actually prefer we did wear a silver or white jumper so discussions like this don't occur. But the facts are, it is what it is. I agree, not much of a change to the original, but as I said, it's AFL approved, so it won't change.

Melbourne have every right to wear their home jumper at home games, but the point I was making was St Kilda chose to wear their away jumper yesterday, and it was a much better spectacle. No one is saying "oh, weren't St Kilda weak for not sticking to their guns and wearing their home jumpers". No, I'm congratulated them for doing the common sense thing.

To be honest, I really don't care if we wear pink with purple spots, as long as it doesn't clash I'm happy. Hence why I was so impressed with St Kilda and Essendon yesterday.

The Essenson board/marketing gurus/whoever have come up with our alternate jumper, the AFL have approved it, so it won't change. But from a supporters point of view, I'd actually prefer we did wear a silver or white jumper so discussions like this don't occur. But the facts are, it is what it is. I agree, not much of a change to the original, but as I said, it's AFL approved, so it won't change.

Melbourne have every right to wear their home jumper at home games, but the point I was making was St Kilda chose to wear their away jumper yesterday, and it was a much better spectacle. No one is saying "oh, weren't St Kilda weak for not sticking to their guns and wearing their home jumpers". No, I'm congratulated them for doing the common sense thing.

You are missing the point Ash mate! How different was the Saints jumper? The one yesterday? Little larger white in the middle and the back is white not black. Correct. Same design in principle though yeah? What changes did Essendon make? just a fatter sash yeah? OK now look at the changes the AFL have asked Melbourne to Make. They now expect us to wear a predominantly white jumper. Its teh team of the red and the blue. No white about it mate!! Why should we give up our jumper at our home game. How about your mob go red with black sash? Is that to much? It really is a joke.

IF WE ARE FORCED to change jumpers vs. Essendon, can we go with the 70's-80's Royal Blue. I mean that's the whole reason we went that way in the begiining.

What if Essendon wore their usual, predominantly black guernsey and we wore our predominantly red "Demon" guernsey?? That's worked in the past.

Would the argument then not be about being red & blue and conveniently change to being all about a yoke??

I should point out that I'm not at all concerned that we wear the away jumper at away games. If Ash35 is right and it's a St.Kilda decision, I'm fine with that too. I was just curious as to whether it was an AFL call. From what it seems, there was no official decision and it was St.Kilda's call.

As long as the AFL does not tell home teams to change, that's fine by me.

There's a good example of the Saints getting pushed around by Essendon last night - they wore their clash strip because Essendon pretty much don't have one.

Every AFL team should have a predominantly white clash strip. Most teams actually do. Essendon, it's time for you to follow suit.

That is considered different. Good try though. That was for a special cause. That won't happen every year.

Different but the same result.

Crap. The only way we will rise up the ladder is to play the brand of footy that gets you there. Its a jumper, yes its ours and no we shouldnt have to wear away strips at home games but that is a very long bow to draw.

Not Crap at all. The only way we will play that brand of footy that gets us up the ladder is to be a strong & united club That has a jumper players will put their entire bodies on the line for.

Turn on the NRL and each week clubs are wearing different coloured jumpers-i have no idea what team is what 80% of the time. And they wonder why the entire code is going broke!!!

Alternative strips are a way for the AFL to dilute loyalty (slowly but surely) which is what they are doing to North Melbourne if you look closely. That club has been pushed into a corner & they know it.

Look at their draw-Home games against all the interstate clubs, no Blockbusters. Every game under 20,000 at Etihad costs them.

Now is the time for the MFC to stand firm.

If the Marketing staff want a decent 'Away Strip' that I will pay money for, I would like to see us trial the NRL Roosters away strip. White with red and Blue V lines. A la Pt Adelaides design. I would pay money for that. I hate the angry demon constipation looking training jumper. Sorry, just my opinion.

Why can we just reverse the Yolk and the body of the jumper. Red Jumper Blue Yoke? Another jumper I would pay to have

Edit: Spelling

Wonderful example of taking two unrelated facts and trying to connect them to prove a false point.

North had no supporters when they were the Team of the 90s, winning flags, with the best player in the comp smashing everyone in his path and there was no such thing as clash jumpers. They still have no supporters, and it's not because all their latent supporters were sitting back in the glory years saying, "In 10 years time when clash jumpers enter the AFL lexicon, I'm going to see if this Club takes a belligerent stance before jumping on board".

Hawthorn have introduced a white alternative strip, yet their membership continues to climb at alarming rates. Doesn't seem as if the Hawthorn supporters have jumped off in protest of a white guernsey.

Your argument is flawed at a fundamental level. Clash guernseys have absolutely zero to do with supporter loyalty or club success. Collingwood are at the vanguard of the "We won't wear a clash guernsey" argument yet they've won as many flags in the last 50 years as we have. Seems to me winning a flag might not have a great deal of connection to the ancient notion of "playing for the jumper" that is as outdated as the place kick.

If we wound up wearing the white strip and smashing Essendon by 100 with Scully & Trenners racking up 30 each and Watts kicking 8 there wouldn't be a single post the following week about what colour our guernsey was.

If the Marketing staff want a decent 'Away Strip' that I will pay money for, I would like to see us trial the NRL Roosters away strip. White with red and Blue V lines. A la Pt Adelaides design. I would pay money for that. I hate the angry demon constipation looking training jumper. Sorry, just my opinion.

Why can we just reverse the Yolk and the body of the jumper. Red Jumper Blue Yoke? Another jumper I would pay to have

Edit: Spelling

Why can't we just leave it alone...The AFL are not always right with the dress code as we all have witnessed over the last 2 weeks.

I have never had a problem watching the MFC jumper, even when it was on B & W Television going back in time!

What if Essendon wore their usual, predominantly black guernsey and we wore our predominantly red "Demon" guernsey?? That's worked in the past.

That has worked for away games, I think ?

I'm talking about our home games.

That has worked for away games, I think ?

I'm talking about our home games.

That's been helped along by the AFL perenially scheduling us to play away games against the Dons.

We haven't played them in a home match since Round 1 2005!

That was the Broadbridge match and jumpers were the last thing anyone would think about. The time before was the Elimination final, so same deal there.

If memory serves, clash jumpers weren't a big deal in 2003 and earlier.

It'll be interesting to see what happens this year with it.

Wonderful example of taking two unrelated facts and trying to connect them to prove a false point.

North had no supporters when they were the Team of the 90s, winning flags, with the best player in the comp smashing everyone in his path and there was no such thing as clash jumpers. They still have no supporters, and it's not because all their latent supporters were sitting back in the glory years saying, "In 10 years time when clash jumpers enter the AFL lexicon, I'm going to see if this Club takes a belligerent stance before jumping on board".

Hawthorn have introduced a white alternative strip, yet their membership continues to climb at alarming rates. Doesn't seem as if the Hawthorn supporters have jumped off in protest of a white guernsey.

Your argument is flawed at a fundamental level. Clash guernseys have absolutely zero to do with supporter loyalty or club success. Collingwood are at the vanguard of the "We won't wear a clash guernsey" argument yet they've won as many flags in the last 50 years as we have. Seems to me winning a flag might not have a great deal of connection to the ancient notion of "playing for the jumper" that is as outdated as the place kick.

If we wound up wearing the white strip and smashing Essendon by 100 with Scully & Trenners racking up 30 each and Watts kicking 8 there wouldn't be a single post the following week about what colour our guernsey was.

You are entitled to your opinion & arguements but i disagree.

If Melbourne wore a clash jumper regularly i would lose interest in the club over time for sure.

Don't bring Hawthorn into it, good God all their jumpers Traditional & clash are just appaling (Remember that blue chequered thing!!!!)

Yes North Melbourne have been out of their depth commercially for about 25 years i agree, but i use the example to show that once you Roll over once-You can NEVER repair the damage.

So it is RIGHT NOW that the MFC must stand firm on its future & its magnificent past.

I don't give a flying F about all the other clubs, But i care a shiteload for the MFC Demons-As far as home games go..The only organization we should work in tandem with is the MCC.

If Melbourne wore a clash jumper regularly i would lose interest in the club over time for sure.

lol

I would suggest a choice along the lines of the following was put to us by the AFL at fixture time in response to our request to finally get a home game v Ess at The G this season:

Get this home fixture you want along with the financial benefits associated with drawing 40K+ but concede the jumper kerfuffle for one game

OR

Wear your precious home guernsey in a home game v Freo in a Sunday twilight fixture that might be squeezed to Etihad Stadium to make way for a better game.

Your choice???

So it is RIGHT NOW that the MFC must stand firm on its future & its magnificent past.

I guess this uncomplimentary image of James Hacker of Yes Prime Minister putting on a Churchillian voice with "Land of Hope and Glory"..This scene is only short because at James Hacker realises he has lost the reality plot and stops. On the other hand you...

I would suggest a choice along the lines of the following was put to us by the AFL at fixture time in response to our request to finally get a home game v Ess at The G this season:

Get this home fixture you want along with the financial benefits associated with drawing 40K+ but concede the jumper kerfuffle for one game

OR

Wear your precious home guernsey in a home game v Freo in a Sunday twilight fixture that might be squeezed to Etihad Stadium to make way for a better game.

Your choice???

But answer me this question.....Did you have any difficulty watching the 2000 Grand Final. Apart from the result, i didn't. The jumpers only clash because the AFL want them to

Lets have the Home Fixture along with 50+k attendance wearing traditional jumpers problem solved. I don't trust Adrian Anderson one bit.

Every AFL team should have a predominantly white clash strip. Most teams actually do. Essendon, it's time for you to follow suit.

Absolutely!!

I guess this uncomplimentary image of James Hacker of Yes Prime Minister putting on a Churchillian voice with "Land of Hope and Glory"..This scene is only short because at James Hacker realises he has lost the reality plot and stops. On the other hand you...

Your point??? Clash jumpers only weaken clubs in the eyes of the AFL-that is the long term strategy. Feel free to deny but in 10-15 years it will be correct.

(Yes Minister is one of the greatest btw RR so i will pay that one)

Your point??? Clash jumpers only weaken clubs in the eyes of the AFL-that is the long term strategy. Feel free to deny but in 10-15 years it will be correct.

You are carping on a bit.....no alot.

The issue is not whether you can see it but the players. I thought that would have been evident given the WB fiasco.

EPL has clash guernseys and has not suffered. Your silly AFL conspiracy does not hold water. I find it highly unlikely you will be correct in 15 years given you are so wide of the mark so often these days. And I know if you shoot enough you will eventually hit a target but I wont hold my breath for you Hacker.

The jumpers only clash because the AFL want them to

So Jumpers like North and Collingwood that have been in existence since at least 1925 and have clashed with vertical stripes for 85 years is an AFL plot????

The cads. I agree I dont trust Adrian Anderson or his great great grandfather Yosemite Anderson who designed the guernseys either.

What I don't understand is why the AFL don't simply force each club to have: A home Strip, Alternate Strip, White Alternate Strip. In the case of Filth, Carltank, North they only really need two strips. But simply Essenscum and pretty much all other clubs should have to have a white alternate. Makes no sense that in an Essendon home we could wear our white strip rather than red, but in our home game Essendon will continue the clash with their "fat" sash.

Tradition is important, but avoiding very avoidable colour clashes (incl. you umpires) shouldn't be a contentious point. EVERY OTHER SPORT IN THE WORLD MANAGES