Over a period of time AFL clubs have evolved the use of special football jumpers, jerseys, guernseys to commenorate significant events in the clubs history.

proud 150th anniversary jumper

Originally confined to the home and away clash series of jumpers, now they are used for celebrations, special matches, fundraisers and to draw attention to specific causes.

magpies jumper

Stkilda have played in a purple guernsey to highlight captain, Nick Riewoldt's sister Maddie, and her fatal battle with cancer. All clubs have participated in the Dreamtime series of guernseys to show respect, and honour the contribution that indigenous players have made to AFL football.

blues 

Carlton Football Club started the trend of wearing non traditional jumpers back in 1997, when they donned a light blue guernsey, to celebrate the launch of a new flavour of M&M. They were a CFC sponsor at that time.

Iconic Fitzroy's Jumper with Quit logo

Anzac day matches have been addressed by the clubs wearing an Anzac insignia or logo on the front of the guernsey, as  worn in the Saints versus Swans, Anzac day game in New Zealand. Collingwood and Essendon have a badge on the front of their guernseys to commenorate the diggers for their epic Anzac day clash at the MCG.

Bombers Football Jumper

White has been introduced into many teams colours for clash purposes, so they are able to be differentiated from the rival club. Coverage by 

Saints Anzac guernsey

Media, players and commentators welcome this to avoid on field confusion.

AFL Carlton Blues Football Jumper

AFL Football Jumpers, Jerseys, Guernseys do change. Whilst the style and colours remain a constant part of the design, team sponsors,  and fabric of manufacture vary.

North Melbourne Kangaroos

AFL Essendon Football Club

AFL North Melbourne Kangaroos

Initially the original  football jumpers, jerseys, guernseys were knitted from wool. The team colours and club insignia was constant. Players wore a long sleeved version of the football jumper, jersey, guernsey with a collar and button up front.  Manufacturing processes changed and the guernsey was still knitted but from acrylic wool. Long sleeves, v necks with collars, favourite players numbers sewn on the back and sewn on AFL logo patches proliferated.

AFL Melbourne Demons Football Guernsey

Fitzroy Football Club were the first football club that began displaying sponsors logos on guernseys for a commercial fee. Ironic that the club was deemed to be economically unviable by the AFL, and ceased to exist . An amalgamation of sorts was attempted with the establishment of a new team the Brisbane Bears in Queensland, who bore the FFC initials on the back of their guernsey . A later incarnation saw the Brisbane Lions adopt the Fitzroy team mascot of a lion on their guernsey.

Today, collectors, football fans, club historians, lovers of AFL, and curators collect the older style vintage, and retro football jumpers, guernseys, and jerseys. Irreplaceable and markers of a pivotal point in an AFL Club's history they are highly coveted items.

AFL Sydney Swans Football Guernsey