AFL Finals Geelong v Collingwood: Fans fume over jumper clash
Eddie McGuire claims there was a gentleman’s handshake agreement Geelong would wear white gear to avoid jumper clashes, but Cats president Colin Carter says it’s news to him.
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Geelong president Colin Carter has hit back at Eddie McGuire’s claim he had a handshake agreement with ex-Cats president Frank Costa to avoid jumper clashes.
Footy social media went into meltdown and McGuire said it was “ridiculous” the embarrassing kit clash overshadowed last night’s Qualifying Final between the Cats and Pies.
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AFL Finals Geelong v Collingwood: Fans fume over jumper clash
Geelong was wearing its home kit with blue shorts, a move that angered McGuire, who believed the clubs had a “gentlemen’s agreement” dating back two decades.
But, with Geelong finishing atop the AFL ladder, Carter says the Cats had the right to wear their home jumper and if the Magpies had a problem it was up to them to solve it.
“I haven’t heard that any of the players were confused so I think it’s a bit of a beat-up,” Carter said on 3AW radio.
“The AFL works it out and, as I understand it, the protocol’s pretty clear.
“The home team has the right to wear their home strip, which is what happened last night.
“And I think if certain clubs want to keep protesting about that, then they’ve got to make the running on that.
“But, as far as I’m concerned, our management obviously works with the AFL if we have a problem with protocols — but I don’t think we had a problem last night at all.”
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After seeing his side secure a 10-point win, McGuire lashed out at the strip clash.
“I saw the beginning of the game and I went over to (AFL boss) Gil (McLachlan) because 20 years ago, Frank Costa and I shook hands on an agreement because 21 years ago, there was a day when Collingwood had predominantly white, white shorts and Geelong had white and no one could tell what was going on,” he told Brian Taylor.
“But we had an agreement, home, away — have a look at the Grand Final in 2011. For 20 years, they’ve worn the white gear because we had a gentlemen’s agreement,” McGuire said.
“Next year, when we play Carlton, I’ve gone and got another jersey that has a white back so we don’t clash. It’s not that hard to do. Geelong wear white, white, white, they do it all the time and for 20 years it’s worked, why change tonight?”
“We had a handshake deal that Geelong would always wear white shorts, white jumper and the hoop socks (against Collingwood) and we wear all black, all black and the black jumper and we’ve never had an issue since,” McGuire said.
“Tonight I thought it was ridiculous to be perfectly honest. We’ve done it for 20 years and it’s worked, why change tonight? For a change of a pair of shorts everyone’s happy.”
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Even players from the two teams acknowledged how difficult it was to distinguish teammates at stages, with players appearing to fire off handballs in the direction of the opposition at different incidents throughout the night.
Geelong defender Tom Stewart said he was forced to focus on player faces — rather than their uniforms — when in possession early in the match.
Failure to do so left players in danger of committing blind turnovers.
“I was a little bit (confused) early, but I suppose you just recognise the faces a little bit after that,” Stewart said.
“I wouldn’t say it (the jumper clash) cost us the game but a couple of times I was like, ‘Hang on, that’s the wrong bloke’.”
Magpies winger Tom Phillips said the obvious clash was far from ideal.
“That did pass through my mind a little bit when I was out there,” Phillips told the Herald Sun.
“I don’t know. What else can you do? We can’t really change much from black and white. They’ve changed their jumper around a few times, but it’s a bit of a hard one, that.”
Brisbane defender Alex Witherden, presumably watching the game at home ahead of his massive Qualifying Final clash with Richmond, also had dramas.
Anyone else struggling with this jumper clash?! 🤓🤷â€â™‚ï¸ #AFLCatsPies
— Alex Witherden (@alexwitherden29) September 6, 2019
Angry fans took to Twitter to slam the ‘shocking’ jumper clash that had them struggling to discern between Pies and Cats players.
They wanted one of the teams to change kits at quarter time and were confused at why players appeared to be handballing to opponents.
Watching #AFLCatsPies game on TV is horrid. How Collingwood are still allowed to have an away strip so similar to their home strip is farcical, and differentiating the two teams apart is hard work. Turnovers galore. #AFL step in and do something. #farcical
— Sof Koumi (@Sof_Star007) September 6, 2019
Are my eyes getting worse (big chance) or is this a shocking jumper clash? Or both? #AFLCatsPies
— Mark Rhoden (@cotchinsoda) September 6, 2019
Does anyone else feel like there was a massive stuffup by the AFL with their jumpers? Seeing players handoff to the opposition #jumperclash #AFLCatsPies
— Anonymous âš ï¸ (@domdlima) September 6, 2019
My current view of this game #aflcatspies pic.twitter.com/zYvTvqQaKO
— Michael Pearn (@MikeJPearn) September 6, 2019
It’s very difficult to tell which team is which from a distance #AFLCatsPies
— Matt Smith (@SmanSports) September 6, 2019
Perhaps one of these teams could change jumpers at quarter time #AFLCatsPies
— Cameron Hamilton (@cam_hamilton) September 6, 2019
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