http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/AFL/Carlton-no-to-colours-change/2005/05/21/1116533580885.html
Carlton 'no' to colours change
By Samantha Lane
May 22, 2005
How Carlton's alternate strip might have looked.
With the farewell to Carlton's traditional home ground complete, the club also has contemplated whether the time has come to break with another tradition and introduce an alternative guernsey.
Carlton has had a prototype silver and navy jumper made up for the consideration of its board, which has seriously discussed the merits of introducing a clash strip - something that may yet be mandated by the AFL.
While Carlton president Ian Collins continues to resist the league's push for all clubs to have an alternative guernsey, he and other club officials had Scott Camporeale and another player model the jumper at Telstra Dome late last year.
The radical sample guernsey was predominantly silver with bold navy blue detailing, and had matching silver shorts with thick navy stripes running down both sides. But the Blues were turned off the option after last November, when Richmond unveiled the grey guernsey it used in this year's pre-season competition.
"Richmond had run with a grey/silver, so (the clash jumper) was mothballed," Collins said last week.
"It was a trial thing and it had mixed blessings. It was only a prototype anyhow. We hadn't gone through the process of getting it approved.
"We've sort of flirted with it, but really, we're very reticent to that sort of change. I don't think we'll be rushing into that one."
If Collins has his way, the Blues, like Collingwood and Essendon*, would continue to resist the AFL's calls to introduce alternative uniforms. "We've been able to get away with it up to date, so I think we tread slowly, slowly with that," Collins said.
"There's mixed feelings about whether we should do anything because we think our traditional guernsey is unique and there's not much of a push really. I think the board would have mixed feelings about that and we wouldn't be rushing into it."
But after years of encouraging those clubs to break with that tradition, the league may soon force the issue.
"We've consistently encouraged the clubs to adopt alternative guernseys to help prevent on-field clashes, hoping that the matter could be resolved without the need to mandate it," AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said last week.
"We would like to see a clear differentiation between the jumpers on field in all matches. We've urged all clubs to go down that path, and if that remains unsuccessful, we might have to take action there."
Carlton did not hold formal discussions with the AFL about the jumper, but consulted with the league's licensing department.
Should Carlton wish to submit a proposed clash strip for next season, it would need to do so within 10 days, as the AFL's annual cut-off point is May 31, although the league remains flexible on considering submissions after that date.
But with the issue not on the agenda for Carlton's board meeting this Tuesday, the Blues were unlikely to push the matter.
Despite Collins' resistance, it is believed that other Carlton directors have accepted that the club may soon be forced by the league into coming up with an alternative guernsey.
Given the high regard with which the classic and conservative navy blue jumper is held at the club, they would prefer that the Blues make every effort to come up with something special.
It's believed the Blues' marketing department also looked at the option of a predominantly white guernsey with navy detail, similar to the alternate strip Fremantle introduced recently.