Sheedy also added that one of the key elements being missed in all the argument was the fact that by and large AFL players had said they would prefer to wear a clash guernsey in some games. An AFL survey showed 86% of players were in favour of the idea.
""I would rather play in the traditional EFC colours forever - every Essendon fan would - but if we need to make a concession in one or two matches during the course of a season then that doesn’t overly concern me,"" Sheedy said.
""The competition rules have been put in place – there are severe penalties for tampering with the draft or breaching the salary cap – and we abide by those rules. I’m not sure what the penalty will be for clubs that ignore this rule but I don't want to find out – perhaps Collingwood do.""
Sheedy said he wasn’t surprised the rule mandating Essendon produce a clash guernsey had hit a raw nerve with some fans.
""I understand that some people are passionate about this and so am I – nobody loves wearing the red and black more than I do and the yellow and black when I was a player,"" Sheedy said.
""But our season is about 66 hours long in terms of match time – if we have to wear a clash guernsey for a few of those hours I am OK with that so long as it is still red and black,"" he said.
""Having said that, it wouldn’t want to go any further than the occasional clash game. I would not want to be wearing a different guernsey for all away games for example – this club should never go there.
""The rule was brought in for a reason and a lot of the players think there is a problem at times and I think we have to respect that opinion.
""I also think it is important for people to know this not about making money at all as some people have suggested. If it was we would not have been saying ‘no’ the AFL for almost a decade – that’s how long they have been asking us to play in a clash guernsey.
""I just think we need to use some common sense on this issue and get the balance right. We might have to make a rare concession on our guernsey but so long as all clubs are playing under the one rule – and the AFL tell us they will – then we should move on.""
On the back of Chairman Neil McKissock’s recent comments, Sheedy said he and the Club was rightly offended by anyone suggesting it had rolled over and ignored its tradition.
""I am not about to take any crap from people at other clubs that accuse us of not respecting our tradition because we are not fighting as loudly as they are on this issue,"" Sheedy said. ""We didn’t leave our heartland – we did not move away from Victoria Park to go and live at the Lexus Centre.""
""This Club has a great respect for its history and we have a history of making the right decisions. We played our home games at the MCG and then at the Telstra Dome and there was a lot of concern about both those moves but they have been the right moves.""
