Jumper is no black-and-white issue

Port Adelaide legend Russell Ebert and nephew Brad Ebert in the traditional black-and-white guernsey. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: The Advertiser

LIKE a red rag taunts a bull, a black-and-white strip at Port Adelaide stirs emotions: And reactions, far and wide.

The Power will close its AFL story at AAMI Stadium - ignoring finals - wearing the club's traditional "prison-bar" black-and-white jumper.

Even referring it to as a "prison-bar" guernsey creates debate as some of the old guard from Port's 1940s teams say they always knew the white stripes on their jumper to reflect pickets rather than prison bars.

They suggest the jail reference has been manufactured by Port's detractors, who love to put a stigma on the club's social base.

So where is everyone at with the Power opting to wear its black-and-white colours for just the third time in the AFL?

Almost every hardcore Port supporter loves it. They still wish the Power had told the AFL and Collingwood to jump when the club's entry to the big league demanded a new set of colours and a new nickname to avoid a clash with the Victorian Magpies.

Those who are club members are already lining up or counting their pennies to put down the $260 fee to get one of the 1600 limited-edition replica jumpers.

So why not every hardcore Port fan? Because there are still some who believe the Magpies in the SANFL are the "real" Port Adelaide and the Power has no right to its history, traditions ... or prison bars.

Then there is the non-Magpie Power supporter, the one who came to the AFL from Sturt, Norwood, Central District and any other SANFL club that has seen the prison-bar jumper as a symbol to hate.

Keep in mind Port promoted that hate with a "them-against-us" theme.

There will be those who argue wearing the black-and-white jumper will do nothing to endear the Power to the wider football community.

They will seek out a Power player - such as the Sturt-bred Angus Monfries and West Adelaide-reared Hamish Hartlett - to see how they truly feel about wearing an enemy SANFL jumper.

It was the same with the Glenelg-linked Cornes brothers when Port last wore black-and-white in 2007.

For the record, Kane Cornes - who hopes to wear the prison bars for the second time in August - says he is more than happy to wear the black and white.

Then there's Collingwood - the club that has an extraordinary hold on black and white stripes in the AFL.

Club president Eddie McGuire's first reaction to the Power dusting down its SANFL jumper was to automatically snarl.

But he has conceded, recognising Port has a "heritage" theme for wearing the jumper.

The Power wants to pay homage to the 13 SANFL premierships won at AAMI Stadium from 1974 - a success story that propelled the club to the AFL.

Some will smirk at this tribute, considering how Port has strived to get away from the old Football Park to the new Adelaide Oval next year.

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