Vintage Football Jumpers are becoming a rarity as they become highly collectable for AFL football fans, historians and archivists.

Collingwood vintage jumper

Passionate footy fans seek to have a complete set of their clubs football jumpers, jerseys, or guernseys. Over a period of time these fans have seen many changes in the style, logos and designs of the jumper. It was originally made of knitted wool, then acrylic to the modern day polyester . A popular, modern style is the sleeveless variety replacing the more traditional long sleeved version of previous decades.

Magpies

Magpies

In 1996 the AFL changed its logo to the current one . Clubs have reinvented their team logos with rejigged mascots and revamped signage. What remains as a constant is the much revered team colours, the team name and  a version of the mascot.

Many Historians and Archivists are creating a curated collection  of the humble AFL football jersey, guernsey, jumper as a record of the games past, present and future. The older style jumpers, often much beloved of  football fans are growing in popularity and are becoming increasingly hard to find.

Magpies

AFL Carlton Blues Football Jumper

The women's AFL competition AFLW commenced for 2018. The opening game was between traditional rivals Carlton and Collingwood,  at Ikon Stadium in Melbourne, friday, 2nd February.

Magpies Jumper

Carlton defeated Collingwood in a fiercely fought battle by just eight points . Final scores were 22 points to 14 points. A large crowd of just under 20,000 excited fans went along to watch the game. The AFL were prepared for a large crowd after 2017 's lockout when many disappointed fans had to be turned away due to large numbers of attendees. The AFL instigated an overflow area with a big screen TV installed, and seating, to provide fans with a viewing area in case of lockout.

Baby Blue Guernsey

It was a stellar opening to the AFL season and many fans including a large number of women attended the game all wearing their football jumpers, jerseys, guernseys.

magpies jumper

Melbourne Demons Jumper

An AFL or NRL Football Jumper,Jersey, Guernsey, can be dated from the sponsors logo. Keen fans will know the age of the Jumper,Jersey, Guernsey by the logo patch.

State of Origin Jersey

Fans are happy to wear their Jumper,Jersey, Guernsey to home and away matches despite the current signage.

AFL North Melbourne Kangaroos

Especially prized are those Jumpers,Jerseys, Guernseys sporting older team logos, which advertises their obvious   vintage or retro connections.

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