I am writing this letter in response to supporter concerns regarding any clash guernsey this club may wear in 2007 and beyond. Some of this correspondence has already been circulated to some supporters but we thought it best to provide all the facts surrounding this matter to all fans on the website.
Can I firstly say that this Club and its supporters are very passionate about our tradition and heritage. This Club adheres to these core values better than most. While other Clubs have deserted their heartland, Windy Hill remains our home.
We have a Hall of Fame that is the envy of other Clubs and a Past Players Association that is the strongest in the competition. Many of our club functions celebrate our proud history. Our VFL team remains the ‘Bombers’ – we refused to farm out players not representing Essendon to Clubs that were totally separate entities.
In keeping with this stand, and in line with statements made by our Chairman Neil McKissock and previous Chairman Graeme McMahon, we have constantly refused AFL requests to produce a clash guernsey since it was first put to the Club in June 1998. We have been very clear for the past eight years that we were not prepared to produce a clash guernsey. So suggestions this Club has simply rolled over on this issue and conceded defeat is inaccurate and unfair.
In 1985, all clubs signed a license agreement giving the AFL Commission the power to run the competition independently. This gave them the power to write the rules of the competition. These rules are binding and legal advice sought by Essendon Football Club says that is the case regardless of what our constitution says or any stand the Club decides to take. These rules will remain enforceable by the AFL.
As such, they have now introduced a rule which demands each Club produce a clash guernsey. So under AFL rules we need to produce a Clash Guernsey and if we don’t, we risk significant fines and penalties. Many of you are not happy about it and neither are we but that is beside the point. The facts of the situation are that we need to produce one.
These rules are binding and can’t be overturned unless 11 or the 16 Clubs vote to have it overturned. I have never experienced such an event in the past decade and I certainly don’t expect it will happen this time as 14 of the 16 Clubs already have a clash guernsey and Collingwood has submitted one.
Let me be clear. If the AFL equivocate in any way on this issue, we will not submit a Clash Guernsey making us the only Club in the competition never to have submitted a Clash Guernsey. But the AFL has told us that under no circumstances will this rule be changed – it is a requirement of every Club in the AFL to meet it.
The AFL Football Operations Department make the call on when a clash occurs. They have decided our guernsey clashes with Melbourne, St Kilda and Richmond. In these games, the home Club has the rights to decide which uniform they want to wear.
The home club might choose to wear their traditional jumper in which case Essendon will wear its clash guernsey. However, if the home team chooses to wear its alternative jumper then Essendon will be able to revert to its traditional strip.
If this rule was in place for season 2006, Essendon would have been required to wear its clash guernsey just once. Without seeing the fixturing for season 2007, we don’t know what the implications are but we don’t anticipate having to wear a clash guernsey in more than one or two games.
We have made our feelings known to the AFL for the past eight years on this issue of the clash guernsey. But the rule is now written – we don’t have to like it, we can tell them we still disagree with it – but in the end it will get us nowhere. Fourteen others teams have complied and as far as the AFL is concerned, they don’t see why Essendon or Collingwood should be given any special consideration.
The Board and Management have not made any decisions on what any clash guernsey might look like suffice to say when a design is agreed, members will be given the opportunity to make comments.
Peter Jackson
Chief Executive
Essendon Football Club
If you have any questions you would like clarified on this issue, please direct enquiries to generalenquiries@essendonfc.com and we will endeavour to reply to your queries ASAP. Please mark your correspondence ""Clash Letter"" in the subject line.
