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June 29, 2006
Clash Strip
GFC has finally come out with a clash strip for next season and it is available for fans to choose. Whether it actually stops any clashes will refused to be debated on here because seriously, who cares apart from the AFL.
Geelong Football Club has revealed the three options from which it must select a clash guernsey to wear from next season.Needing only to wear the new jumper for away matches against the Kangaroos, the club yesterday gave the Geelong Advertiser the exclusive first glimpse of its three most popular alternatives after months of research and design work.
Undecided on whether to elect either a more modern, fashionable, or traditional strip, Cats' chief executive Brian Cook yesterday called upon Geelong fans to help select its new look.
"We'd love to get the feedback from a whole range of people of all different ages and put it together so we can say `this is the most popular jumper','' Cook said.
The AFL has ruled that every club must wear an alternate guernsey for games which their traditional strip clashes with the opposition.
While some clubs fight the AFL over the decision, Geelong has embraced the challenge, even though Cook conceded a move to replace the hoops with cats claw scratch marks in one design is sure to strike a nerve with some traditionalists.
Interestingly, this somewhat slightly controversial design proved an overwhelming favourite in a Geelong Advertiser poll of about 40 people yesterday.
Cook said the club was interested in developing the cats claw branding but insisted that Geelong would definitely stick with wearing the hoops, as bound by its constitution, in all but about one away game against the Kangaroos every one or two years.
"Over the next three years when we play 70 games, 68 will be in the hoops. There might be two where we have to wear the alternative guernsey,'' Cook said.
We've gone to our members before and they've agreed that we have got flexibility (in designing a clash jumper) so long as it's predominantly navy blue, with the logo on the front.
"So we've come up with something that's a bit futuristic, one fashion and a bit more traditional the other. You take your pick.''
The AFL initially said Geelong's jumper also clashed with Collingwood, but no longer believe this is the case.
Cook said the club had consulted many key stakeholders, including school children, directors and staff in narrowing the field from about 12 options to the final three.
He said players preferred a white clash guernsey when the design process began and that they would probably wear white shorts and socks with the chosen option.
Geelong must submit one to the AFL for approval next month.
I'm a fan on the middle one, with my 2nd favourite being the one on the right. The one of the left is horrible and I certainly won't be purchasing it if we go with that version. As for the hoops controversy. I have no problem if it doesn't have hoops, as long as our home guernsey doesn't change I don't see it as an issue. If changing the club constitution for away or clash guernseys is good enough for some of the biggest sporting clubs in the world it is good enough for me. Although it is pretty pointless for only 1 game a season, I'm sure it'll be a good revenue raiser for the club and no doubt that is one of the reasons the club has been so open to the idea.
Posted by Sammy D at June 29, 2006 12:09 AM