Heritage Round (AFL)
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Heritage Round was a round of matches in the Australian Football League in which all the teams wore guernseys from their past. The first Heritage Round was in 2003 and had been continuing every year until 2008.
Origin
The concept of the Heritage Round originated from the Centenary Celebration Round, which took place in 1996, in the centenary year of the VFL/AFL. As a tribute, the 8 original teams of the VFL played each other in Round 7, 100 years after Round 1 in the inaugural season. Essendon defeated Geelong at the MCG, while Carlton defeated Fitzroy, Collingwood lost to St Kilda, and Melbourne lost to Sydney. The remaining eight clubs played in their normal jumpers, as they came into the VFL/AFL at different times, not 1897.
Heritage Round Over The Years
2003 – The First Heritage Round
The first Heritage Round saw Heritage guernseys worn by all teams except two. The Adelaide and West Coast Football Clubs (who played each other during the round) both had a short history had always used a variant of their original jumper throughout their existence. It was seen in a very positive and nostalgic light, especially as Brisbane wore the 1968 to 1973 Fitzroy guernsey and Sydney wore their 1933 to 1986 South Melbourne guernsey. St. Kilda's guernsey got such a positive reaction that it became their Clash Guernsey from 2004 until 2006. Port Adelaide wore its SANFL Magpies "Prison Bar" guernsey from 1914 when the club was made Champions of Australia.
2004 – Adelaide and West Coast and the Umpires Join In
2004 saw the first year where all sixteen teams wore a heritage guernsey.[1] It was also the first year which the Field and Goal Umpires wore uniforms from the past as well. All the umpires wore white uniforms (the traditional colour the umpires wore before changing to coloured uniforms) and the Goal Umpires wore their traditional long coats and white brimmed hats.
Brisbane chose to wear the Brisbane Bears guernsey worn from 1992 until 1996, West Coast wore an original 1987 guernsey and the Crows manufactured a guernsey based on a 1991 original with the SANFL logo on the back and AFC monogram on the front. Port Adelaide wore a Magenta and Blue guernsey based on their original guernsey from 1877 to 1901, prior to its famous black and white "Prison Bar" guernsey.
2005 – Complacent or Outlandish
In 2005 it was starting to become clear that the current concept of heritage round had either become stale or made clubs make outlandish choices. The Field Umpires wore replica uniforms from an old fashioned period (with colours brought back) that were unpractical in modern day.
The Saints wore a guernsey worn during the First World War in which its colours were changed so not to be seen as a supporter of Germany. Hawthorn's guernsey was not Brown and Gold, but Red, White, and Blue from its 1902 guernsey worn when they were a part of the VFA. The Adelaide Football club wore a 1930s South Australia state guernsey with an AFC insignia replacing SA, where Port Adelaide Football Club wore a white guernsey with light blue hoops based on their first guernsey in the SANFL.
With the focus of heritage round starting to turn into a gimmick the AFL knew they had so do something to re-invigorate the interest. The result came in the following year.
2006 – The Electrifying Eighties
The 2006 heritage round was themed around football in the 1980s. This achieved very heavy media coverage with both The Footy Show and Before the Game taking on 80s themes and both dressing up in clothes from the 1980s. The AFL even release a compilation CD of songs recorded during the 1980s.
Brisbane wore the 1987 to 1990 Brisbane Bears clash guernsey, a variant of its original Brisbane Bears guernsey (which was always criticized during its existence up until 1992, especially when its gold and maroon colours were changed to gold and cerise.) Adelaide wore a modified home guernsey, including an AFC monogrammed crest featuring all the colours of all the teams in the SANFL from the 80s. Melbourne wore a guernsey with red and royal blue instead of its red and navy blue it used prior to 1974 with the introduction of colour TV. Essendon wore red shorts as they did in the 80s when they played Carlton in the battle for the Wooden Spoon. (The two clubs were clearly the worst performers in the league that year and the match ended in a draw. Carlton coach Denis Pagan famously described it as feeling like "Dancing with your Sister".)
The AFL prevented Port Adelaide from wearing their 1980's guernsey.
2007 – Living In The Seventies
The 2007 Heritage Round was based on Football in the 1970s. It took place in July from the 7th to the 9th. Once again it generated media coverage both in News broadcasts and both The Footy Show and Before the Game holding 70s themed shows.
As West Coast were not established in the 70s they chose to wear the original WA State of Origin guernsey from the first State of Origin game played against Victoria. They lost to Brisbane who wore a Fitzroy Guernsey from the 70s. Adelaide wore the same guernsey as what was worn in the 2006 Heritage Round in its defeat against Hawthorn. Port Adelaide's application to the AFL for its 70s black and white "Prison Bar" was rejected at first but an agreement was later reached with Collingwood and the AFL for Port to wear the guernsey this year but with conditions for further heritage rounds. They lost to the Bulldogs who wore an original Footscray guernsey with red shorts. As Essendon and Richmond were both still wearing guernseys with no major change from what was worn in the 70s, Essendon once again wore red shorts and Richmond wore yellow shorts in both of their games.
Two Teams that did not wear a heritage guernsey were St. Kilda, who instead wore their white clash guernsey, and Collingwood.
Other teams to not wear a heritage guernsey due to extreme similarities to current day versions included Geelong, Carlton (who's "CFC" insignia was the current version and not of the one worn from 1933 to 1997), and North Melbourne.
Fremantle had to wear an original East Fremantle guernsey as one of the past guernseys clashed with the old South Melbourne jumper, as they were playing the Sydney Swans that round; resulting in the teams taking the field in uniforms almost identical to those of the 1979 WAFL Grand Final- the Fremantle Derby Grand Final between East Fremantle and South Fremantle.
2008 – 150 years of Australian Rules Football
The only heritage round was Tom Wills round but only Melbourne and Geelong wore a heritage guernsey.
Hawthorn played Brisbane in Tasmania, Brisbane wore their Fitzroy inspired strip as an away guernsey in Victoria.
Richmond celebrated their 100th year of league football by wearing a striped guernsey from their early years.
2009 – No Heritage Round
No heritage round took place in 2009 but The Brisbane Lions continued to wear their Fitzroy Lions away guernsey.
The Sydney Swans chose to wear their guernsey from their first premiership to celebrate 100 year since winning it in 1909 against the Carlton Blues in Round 16 at Etihad Stadium.
Criticism
Port Adelaide VS Collingwood
An ongoing battle between both the Port Adelaide and Collingwood football clubs is over Port Adelaide wearing the colours black and white. Port Adelaide was established in the SANFL and, like Collingwood, were known as the Magpies and wore black and white. As Port Adelaide won a licence to enter the AFL in 1996 they had to agree not to overshadow the branding of the Collingwood football club by using the name "Magpies" and using only the colours black and white.
An agreement was finally reached between the two clubs which lets Port Adelaide wear the "Prison Bar" in 2007 as a one off, and for Port Adelaide to be able to wear the "Prison Bar" in future Heritage Rounds at AAMI Stadium so long as it is not against Collingwood.
