The AFL has missed its massively popular Heritage Round, and it’s time to bring it back

It’s been over a decade since the AFL featured a dedicated Heritage Round, and it’s time the popular fixtures are brought back, writes Jack Hudson.

Undated. Former Fitzroy player Laurie Serafini wearing the Brisbane Lions Heritage Round jumper with the old Fitzroy lions letters on the front, at the Brunswick Oval Grand Stand. Digital Image

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Ah, Heritage Round – what a time it was.

It was introduced in the mid-noughties and has produced some cracking blasts from the pasts, highlighted by Port Adelaide’s magenta monstrosity which it wore in the early 1900s.

Yet, there were some great moments, especially seeing the Brisbane Lions embrace both Fitzroy’s and the Bears’ past.

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While it hit a tough patch in 2005, it came back with flying colours in 2006 and 2007 with the themed ‘electrifying eighties’ and ‘living in the seventies’ respectively.

Warren Tredrea donning the Port Adelaide heritage jumper in 2004.

Essendon had donned the red shorts in 2006 and Melbourne had its red and royal blue, showing the potential of taking it back in time.

The return of Heritage Round shouldn’t be difficult, as after all, teams aren’t shy from using various guernseys throughout one season.

At the start of 2016, Port Adelaide had four different variations of jumpers in the opening four weeks of the season.

Former Fitzroy player Laurie Serafini wearing the Brisbane Lions Heritage Round jumper with the old Fitzroy Lions letters on the front, at Brunswick Oval.

It had started with its 1997 away jumper in round one, its current home jumper for round two, a Chinese promotional top in round three and then its old home jumper without the white black panels in round four.

There is one sticking point in the Heritage Round debate, and that’s the two expansion clubs, who have only been in existence for a decade.

Kane Cornes tackles Andrew McLeod in the 2005 Heritage Round Showdown.

However, the West Coast Eagles, Fremantle and Adelaide all adapted, using state heritage while embracing the past.

The Eagles went back to their first ever guernsey, the Dockers had jumpers from South and East Fremantle, while the Crows had versions embracing SANFL clubs.

Heritage Round was once a part of the fixture you’d seek out as soon as they were released, but it is no more.

Now, it’s time to bring it back and allow the AFL clubs to embrace their history, and in some cases, the rich past of football across the country.

Originally published as The AFL has missed its massively popular Heritage Round, and it’s time to bring it back