Vintage football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , are highly sought by football fans,  and collectors alike.

Often, they belong to a team that no longer exists, or has been amalgamated ,into another team .

Popular teams in this category , are the Brisbane Bears , and the Fitzroy Lions .Both were either forerunners to , or were amalgamated , into the current Brisbane Lions team.

Avid fans and collectors , will seek out and secure football jumpers,  from this era.

Many collected jumpers are encased under glass , in frames , others are worn with pride , to the game .

Fond memories , of a bygone , gentler era , are embedded deep into these nostalgic jumpers.

The period during which they were worn,  evokes poignant memories of a simpler , spectator sport . Remember that lair on the field , Warwick Capper , in his very short shorts playing for the Brissy Bears?

Paul Roos , Sydney Swans incumbent coach , Captained and performed heroic feats proudly attired in his Fitzroy Lions jumper .

Memories , individual , irreplacable , and timeless, tied up with the fans reverie and nostalgia for a bygone era. All foster a love for AFL football .

Melbourne , the home of AFL football, is experiencing it’s coldest winter for many years . A recent June day, was the coldest for two years , with temperatures only reaching 7 degrees Celsius, at midday.

Devoted fans, wearing their football jumpers , jerseys , guernseys, will still come out to watch their teams play, despite the extreme weather conditions .

The AFL, scheduled three of the last round of matches , to be played at Etihad Stadium . Its got a closable roof , bright lights , comfortable seats , and ensures fans are warm , dry , can see and are comfy on these cold ,wet , winter nights .

The MCG , despite having a much larger crowd capacity , and having recently undergone a costly renovation, is less comfortable .

Fans , and teams of the modern AFL game , require a certain standard of comfort .

Interestingly, the  Brisbane Lions lost,  to the  Carlton Blues , at Etihad Stadium, in Thursday night’s Clash .

Can the Lions , hailing form sunny temperate Brisbane , blame their loss on the weather ?

Its Victorian school holidays.

In a clever marketing ploy ,the AFL , has scheduled a Thursday night Match , so that junior fans can attend .

Carlton Blues , play Brisbane Lions,  under a closed stadium roof , at Etihad Stadium, Docklands.

The rest of the fixture is played out over Friday night ,  Saturday , Saturday night , Sunday and even a twilight game, late on Sunday afternoon.

A wide spread of matches . The AFL , has used every opportunity, to schedule as many games as possible, this weekend . All , are  in different locations , on different days , and time slots . It hopes to attract, the broadest exposure,  for all its matches , by  extending the weekend playing schedule .

Following  last weekends split round, and mid season break, football starved supporters , are keen to attend the footy , in their teams jumpers , jerseys , guernseys .

Even media giants , Channel 9 , acquiesced to the AFL scheduling, by bringing their infamous Footy Show , foward to Wednesday night, instead of its traditional , thursday night,  time slot.

Clever marketers in the AFL,  are ensuring the game,  gets maximum publicity , and media exposure , to attract fans to the Game .

The AFL,  have scheduled a football match , for this Thursday night .

The Carlton Blues , play the Brisbane Lions , in  Etihad Stadium ,  at 7.10pm .

Local popular side  Carlton , play rival interstate side , Brisbane.

Another clever marketing innovation , by the AFL , to get fans at games , mid week?

Will fans turn out on thursday night, in their  , jumpers , jerseys , guernseys , to watch the Game?

Interestingly , of the 8 games in this round  , 3 home games are to be played at Etihad Stadium , compared to only 2 , to be played at the MCG.

Both AFL teams , Adelaide Crows and Brisbane Lions have changed their mascot .

The Crows have adopted a new style crow . It is a stylised version of a crow and doesn’t resemble the actual bird as much as the old mascot .

Brisbane Lions famously have departed from the old Fitzroy FC Lion mascot. They now use a Lion facsimile with a face printed on the Lion that looks out .

It bears little resemblance to the original Fitzroy Football Club Lion . This has angered and saddened many fans of the now defunct AFL Fitzroy FC.

Fans are generally not consulted about the mascot change .

Most accept the change and acknowledge that it is modern progress and still follow their beloved club.

Lots of fans like the old mascots .

It reminds them of clubs with a grand playing past and helps them relive memories of another era .

A slick , modern re-working of an old mascot cannot always claim the hearts and minds of fans .

AFL Clubs do not always wear their traditional colours .

Sometimes they might wear a different coloured jumper to mark a special occasion.

Some might do it just for the money.

Several years ago Carlton Blues wore a yellow jumper to launch the new M & M ( mars lolly)amid much fanfare and as a unique advertising ploy.

It generated a lot of interest and gave the club revenue. Those jumpers , jerseys , guernseys are highly sought today by fans and collectors alike.

Spotted recently at Goschs Paddock in inner Melbourne were Collingwood Magpies training in a light blue football jumper jersey guernsey .

The Brisbane Lions have been known to wear red . ( Perhaps as a reaction to seeing red at some of Fevola’s antics!)

Sighted last week at a major sporting goods oultet were St Kilda Saints jumpers jerseys guernseys in lime green and fluoro pink .The tag said training jumper .

Perhaps teams will adopt these specially coloured jumpers again .

Tonights match at the MCG between Western Bulldogs and Melbourne Demons is a pink fundraiser for breast cancer research .

Next year will we see Barry Hall in pink !

Sponsors come and go , team colours and mascots are forever .

Each football season sponsors will pay money to an AFL football club .This is so they can be featured on their all players clothing particularly their jumper , jersey , guernsey .They are receiving advertising and exposure of their company name in a unique way .

Millions of dollars are invested by companies who hope to receive wide exposure in this way .Clubs benefit substantially by signing lucrative deals which offer great financial benefit .

Tobacco companies and alcohol producers are no longer considered appropriate sponsors of sporting clubs .

Previously the breweries CUB , Tooheys or Tooths featured on many jumpers, jerseys , guernseys .

CUB promoted their brand on the front of the Brisbane Lions jumper , jersey , guernsey .These are now highly collectable .

Tobacco companies boldy promoted their sponsorship on jumpers , jerseys , guernseys.

Phillip Morris supported the St Kilda Saints .These jumpers , jerseys , guernseys with this sponsorship logo is still worn by ardent fans.

The pragmatic Saints also promoted Tooheys Brewery on the same jumper, jersey , guernsey .

Healthy Saints and their fans smoked and drank and were happy to promote both .

In these days of “political correctness “, a jumper , jersey , guernsey will promote anything but beer and cigarettes.

In the current climate of sustainability , recycling and re-using is becoming a popular lifestyle choice.

Recycling of AFL footballers has gained popularity in recent years with clubs swapping players to suit their teams needs.

Of the weekends AFL Games, Luke Ball , the former Saint , now a Magpie put in a creditable performance against his old Club .

That recycled Blue, Brendan Fevola ,has been playing well for his new club the Brisbane Lions.

The sacked Swan ,Barry Hall, has rejoiced in becoming a retro Bulldog .

Farren Ray, once a Bulldog , now a Saint has been playing excellent footy   .

The New Lion mascot was unveiled at Manuka Oval, Canberra today as the Brisbane Lions and the Western Bulldogs played their first round game for the NAB Cup.
It appears to have the same body as the old Lion mascot but the head is a full frontal depiction outlined in brown / maroon . Star recruit Fevola and the rest of the team were resplendent in their new kit .The Lions despite the new mascot on their jumpers were beaten by the tenacious Western Bulldogs who played in their traditional colours of red , white and blue with old style Bulldogs mascot .
Perhaps it is seen as poetic justice by all the old die hard Fitzroy fans particularly those who remember the Fitzroy Lions glory days that a new Lion a successful team does not make.

[caption id="attachment_236" align="alignright" width="199" caption="Lions colours"][/caption][caption id="attachment_239" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Footscray Bulldogs"][/caption]

signed Saints guernsey (number 9 Fraser Gehrig 08)

Saints are on a high after beating Adelaide at home at AAMI stadium in front of a parochial home town crowd .The Saints ran out victors by 15 points and welcomed back crowd favourite ex skipper Lenny Hayes into their midfield line -up.

The Western Bulldogs beat the North Melbourne side by the same margin of 15 points at the MCG on sunday afternoon .The Doggies managed to hold off the Kangaroos in a fiercely fought physical contest .

Collingwood out to reverse their poor form over the Crows in round one at AAMI stadium were successful victors over the Melbourne Football Club at the time honoured venue of football the MCG on Saturday afternoon at 2.10pm .The Magpies victory was tainted post match when the father of Demons player Nathan Jones was viciously attacked outside gate 4 at the MCG by 3 young Collingwood supporters . Charges have been laid and Collingwood Football Club has stated that they will cancel the attackers memberships.
West Coast playing at home in Subiaco ran out winners over financially beleagured Port Adelaide Power.
Geelong has continued on its winning way claiming victory over a Tigers side playing without star recruit Ben Cousins .How long will fans be happy with Richmond languishing on the bottom of the AFL ladder?
Carlton treated their success starved fans to a win over the Brisbane Lions in front of a capacity home town crowd at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.
Sydney playng at home were able to beat the young post premiership Hawks who proved they are making a sluggish start to the 09 season with  2 losses in a row  .Sydney’s ex – captain Brett Kirk has been charged with bumping an umpire highlighting the AFL’s seriousness in their crackdown on player conduct towards on field umpires
Essendon outplayed a struggling Fremantle Dockers side to grab their first taste of success for the season.

The Easter Weekend is a split round of matches with the curtain raiser game being played this Thursday Night between  Geelong and Collingwood at the MCG at 7.40pm.The AFL determined not to break the tradition of no football on Good Friday will not host any games on that day..The easter break promises to provide a wide choice of matches for footy fans.

Further matches will be spread over the Easter period with one day game and three night games being played on Easter Saturday and three day games being played on Easter Sunday culminating with one Easter Monday day game. This final game of the round will be played at Etihad Stadium between  Richmond and the Western Bulldogs and is guaranteed to attract a sell-out crowd .Lots of games , times and venues are giving footy fans a football feast over the Easter Holiday.