MAKE no mistake: this furore about the Crows wearing a state jumper has nothing to do with the integrity or sanctity of the guernsey.

It can be summed up in one simple, but malicious word - jealousy.

The Crows are entitled to wear the state colours. Port Adelaide isn't.

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A history lesson is appropriate although it will be lost on the legion of feeble-minded Port fans who have assaulted the social media sites since the Crows announced that they would be wearing the famous red jumper in the first Showdown at Adelaide Oval.

In the embryonic stages of the Adelaide Football Club, before there was a jumper, before there was a logo or nickname, before there was even a team, the colours of the club and the design of the jumper were decided upon, it was an obvious charter of the club that its team would wear the red, blue and gold colours of our state.

Unlike Port Adelaide, the Adelaide Football Club was born of the 10 clubs that had created the rich history of the South Australian National Football League.

The inaugural Crows jumper had to be different to the state jumper, because state-of-origin matches were still being played in 1990.

Ridiculously, the Crows could only assemble their initial squad from a limited number of South Australian players but the real positive of that restriction was that it was a true representation of South Australian football.

The one undeniable heritage of the Adelaide Football Club is South Australian football.

Port fans who are quick to label the Crows a commercially assembled corporation that has no history, hypocritically claim the Magpie heritage - when it suits them.

However, when they were struggling it was because they were a new club. Yet when they had a good win it was the spirit of Alberton that buoyed them.

So the Crows wanted to wear a replica of the state jumper in the first Showdown to pay tribute to the generations of South Australian footballers who played their own small part in the formation of the Crows.

It was a great idea until Port Adelaide, led by their president, David Koch, possibly fearing the spectacle of his Showdown would be hijacked by the Crows in a magnificent red jumper, started to bleat.

His most ridiculous comment was that of Collingwood wearing the Victorian state jumper.

The Victorian clubs have only ever represented suburban Melbourne and Geelong.

Koch should be satisfied with having the first Showdown as a Port home game.

How can the AFL justify that? Perhaps it is reward for its collaboration with the SACA, the state government and the AFL to undermine the Adelaide Football Club and the SANFL's position at Football Park to the point where it became untenable.

It wasn't hard to find South Australian legends aligned to other AFL clubs to add momentum to the cause, but how many of them came home to the Crows when they had their chance?

And the sanctity of the jumper? It is worn today by junior teams from primary schoolkids up.

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It's a fair bet there are a couple of country and suburban team of the same colour and design as well. And our recent state teams have as many Victorians wearing the red jumper as South Australians.

The big mistake Adelaide made with this project was offering members the chance to buy their names on the jumper without proper consultation.

That aspect did not have a good feel about it.

In reality, however, the names are so discreetly and tastefully incorporated in the jumper design that it would not detract.

Given the garish intrusion of sponsors' logos onto footy jumpers it is a moot consideration.

However, it is now done. The Crows initiative has been sabotaged.

Port fans may gloat, and the Crows can fume, but there is one certain way to claim redemption: play the game and win it.

It wouldn't be the first time football karma has punished Port and rewarded the team for all South Australians.

Originally published as Bleating Port stops Crows initiative