Last night at Etihad Stadium , in Melbourne ,43,000 fans watched the dynamic Carlton Blues beat a lacklustre St Kilda Saints team.

In a bold marketing initiative ,the AFL has scheduled a Monday night game for the second year in a row.

It attracted an almost capacity crowd .

Fans were out in their jumpers , jerseys, guernseys.

Could this be the start of more Monday night Games ?

Two new AFL teams , Greater West Sydney and Gold Coast , are scheduled to join the competition in 2011.

The AFL has to find new ways to extend the fixture . A match played on a Monday night might be a viable option.

Betts and Blues

Saints need a goalkicker to replace Riewoldt

St Kilda Saints play Carlton Blues on Monday night 10 May at Etihad Stadium . The match starts at 7.20 pm and will be televised .

It's a bold marketing move by the AFL in a bid to attract  greater attendance figures and put  more bums on seats .

The choice of a game during the week as opposed to weekends , friday night or public holidays is a relatively new initiative .

Both clubs enjoy a large supporter fan base .

Some reports in the media have shown stories of younger fans being unable to attend as it is a school night .

Older fans may be absent due to work commitments.

The AFL , whilst continually developing and looking at new ways to attract supporters will be mindful of this .

Will it be financially rewarding  for the two clubs who are hoping to attract high attendance figures and a hefty revenue payment  for the media broadcast?

Whether they are at the Match or watching it at home fans will be dressed in their football jumper , jersey , guernsey to support their teams.

Will the Blues win on Monday Night ?

Watch the Saints come Marching in on Monday Night ?

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 !

Traditional Western Bulldogs Jumper

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.

insure it

Collingwood Magpies play St Kilda Saints on Friday night at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.

It should be a very good game that promises a close result given the form of both teams in recent matches.

Collingwood always wear the black and white colours in their jumper, jersey , guernsey. They don't have a clash or away strip that is largely white unlike many other afl clubs .

St Kilda who wear red black and white do play in a white clash strip of their jumper , jersey , guernsey.Will they unveil a new one for season 2010?

Do the Saints play in their traditional Home Strip as it is their Home Game ?
If they do will it cause confusion
for players, fans and commentators between the red , black and white and the black and white .

It poses the question will the Saints lower their colours to the Magpies ?

Wait to see at tomorrow night's clash.

Matthew Richardson the likeable Tasmanian footballer announced his retirement from the Richmond FC over the summer break.

Tonight he will be honoured as one of the all time great players when he walks a lap of honour around the MCG.

This walk is pre game entertainment prior to the first match of the 2010 AFL Season between Richmond and Carlton .

There has been much coverage of this event in the media and cardboard cut out face masks of 'Richo' are available .

Large numbers of fans off both teams will be at the game in their team colour jumper , jersey , guernsey , some with the masks.

This repeats a trend that has developed when great players retire . A recent example was when Robert Harvey retired from the St Kilda Saints.

Avid supporters will wear or hold up the "Richo" mask above their jumper , jersey , guernsey.

It raises the question about other players retirements.

When Barry Hall retires from the Western Bulldogs will the MCG be awash with cardboard cut outs of his face . A very scary thought!

Footy on Friday in Melbourne with the NAB Cup Final at Etihad Stadium between the Dogs and Power . It promises to be a thriller . Power have unveiled a new strip for their guernsey , jersey , jumper of season 2010 . Its distinctive colours shouldn't clash with the traditional Doggies tri colours of red blue and white.
The other finals clash between the Saints and Dockers will see the Saints wearing their NAB cup night colours as worn previously.Will the Dockers play in the white style guernsey jumper jersey often worn by them for the away night games? Those under 18 get in free as part of the AFL's push to attract young fans. Many young fans will attend in their team colours jumper , jersey , guernsey .
A change of venue has occurred for the scheduled Lions / Cats match. Its been moved to Visy Park in Melbourne after torrential rain and ongoing bad weather has rendered the original venue on the Gold Coast unusable . Queensland , rain one day even more rain the next. Victoria's new slogan , sunny one day even sunnier the next .
Ironic that at a time when the AFL is promoting respectful relationships Fevola is again in the headlines for appearing to disrespect women. Will he be stripped of his Lions jumper , jersey , guernsey? That other wayward son Barry Hall has fitted well into his Doggies jumper , jersey , guernsey and is playing good footy .

barry's old jumper

St Kilda Saints and Sydney Swans played Round 2 of their NAB Cup Match on Saturday night 27 February at Etihad Stadium Melbourne .In front of a crowd of 11,000 fans the Saints snatched victory from the Swans by one point .

red not white

The Saints whose colours are red , white and black wore mainly black with one red panel and one white on the front of their guernsey , jumper , jersey . The Swans whose colours are white and red wore mainly white with a red v on the front of their guernsey , jumper , jersey .Red shorts and traditional red and white striped socks completed the Swans outfit. The Saints also wore their traditional red , white and black striped socks with black shorts.
The contrast in the two dominant colours was marked . White versus Black . No mistakes were made by players , fans and TV and Radio Broadcasters . Saints fans may have felt the umpires were still colour blind as a greater number of free kicks were awarded Sydney's way. Excitement peaked when Justin Koschitzke's jumper was ripped from his body and  a replacement had to be quickly found .

same logo

The distinctive strips added to the evening' s enjoyment and the Game was easy to watch .Swans exciting new recruit , Lewis Jetta's fluorescent footy boots were also easily seen .
Is this the way teams will dress for night and day footy games if their is any similarity of their teams colours?Time will tell but in the meantime ardent fans and collectors alike are coveting the new style jerseys guernseys jumpers.

Saints white or not

The NAB Cup continues with successful teams playing off.
Saturday sees Melbourne based team , the much loved but spectacularly unsuccessful St Kilda Saints play the Sydney based, exciting Sydney Swans.Both teams have red and white in their team colours . The Saints have black too but it still raises the question will one team play in the white strip favoured of previous years when a clash in clubs colours is evident ?

hawks white one

If they do it will avoid confusion between players , fans and TV viewers alike . This white jumper , jersey , guernsey is destined to become a highly collectable item . Those from previous years clashes are widely sought by all  .

Is a new white strip to be worn ? Fans will just have to wait and see.

Oh when the Saints come marching in

Will it rain on the Cats parade

Its come down to the final two top sides of the 2009 afl season playing for the ultimate prize .Geelong are pumped and confident further buoyed by Gary Ablett Jnr's brownlow medal win of Monday night .Businesses and homes in and around Geelong , the surrounding areas and country towns are proudly displaying their colours.Cars are flying local newspaper issue flags . St Kilda and surrounds by contrast is eerily quiet its team going about their business quietly and methodically . All are down playing the hype and sentiment of their 09 tilt at the flag .Many remember the debacle of the 97 campaign and for a team with a poor premiership and playing history they are stoically getting on with it .The St Kilda Town Hall has a flag out and 2 pubs are sporting wrap around red black and white tri colours .The Sacred Heart Windsor Op Shop has expanded its window display to include more Saints paraphernalia but the religious icons remain as silent witness to a modern day miracle if the Saints win . Come saturday evening the contest will be decided and whether its the cocky Cats or the sanguine Saints who prevail it promises to be an epic battle the like of which has not been witnessed at the G for a long time .