ADELAIDE's audacious bid to use the state jumper in the first Showdown at Adelaide Oval has ended after an enormous outcry from the public and the football fraternity.

At 6.30pm the Crows flew the white flag on their web site by announcing: "The SANFL has rescinded approval for us to wear a version of the SA guernsey.''

It came after some of the greatest SA footballers to wear the coveted guernsey had voiced their displeasure with the proposed jumper when speaking to The Advertiser.

Former greats such as Mark Naley, Garry McIntosh, Peter Motley, and John Platten slammed the plan and talkback continued to be in overdrive until the SANFL acted.

SA Football Commission chairman John Olsen and SANFL chief executive Leigh Whicker were in phone contact today between Sydney and Adelaide as public opinion continued to be overwhelmingly against the Crows playing in the SA jumper.

McIntosh summed it up: "If you're trying to get one up on Port, beat them when you play them,'' he said. "Beating them in the boardroom doesn't count.

"That's what happens when people in bullshit castles make bullshit decisions.''

Carlton champ Mark Naley, a Fos Williams medallist who cherishes his jumpers from 17 state games, was of a similar mind.

"How dare they,'' he said of the plan.

"It'd be like Carlton wearing the big V because it has a big membership and the right colours.

"It's just ridiculous. I'm a Carlton person and I'd be against that.''

Motley, whose first state game was a famous drought-breaking game against the Big V at Victoria Park in 1983, called the Crows' plan a "farce''.

Platten said the plan would have devalued the state jumper and pointed out that state jumpers had to be earned, regardless of the sport.

Heat has turned on the SANFL over how - and who - granted the Adelaide Football Club permission to not only adopt the state jumper for the derby against Port Adelaide on March 29 but also agreed to allow the Crows to sell space on the jumper to its members at $295 each.

SANFL club presidents are questioning why they were not consulted.

Norwood president Joe Tripodi told The Advertiser: "We should have been notified and consulted."

Also in question is why the SANFL administration did not pass Adelaide's request to the SA Football Commission in the first place.

Carlton president and SA Origin football hero Stephen Kernahan questioned how the SANFL could approve the Crows wearing the State jumper.

And he questioned if the AFL had set a precedent whereby Carlton could adopt the Victorian "Big V" state jumper in a celebratory club game.

"The South Australian state jumper is pretty sacred," Kernahan told The Advertiser this afternoon.

The former Glenelg forward who kicked 10 goals for SA in an Origin clash with Victoria at Football Park in 1984 added: "State team jumpers are for State team players. The South Australian jumper is for South Australians. It is meant for SA, not the Crows.

"I understand the Crows were the first SA team in the national competition and they are a big part of SA football. And, by the way, Port Adelaide has also added to that.

"But my father wore that state jumper to represent SA. So did I. So did many others. That jumper is sacred in my books.

"I spoke to (Collingwood president) Eddie McGuire today and suggested Carlton might wear the Big V in a heritage game. You can imagine the reaction. Clubs don't get to wear state jumpers."

Kernahan also questioned why the Crows did not engage Port Adelaide in talks on how to honour SA football in the return to the redeveloped Adelaide Oval next month.

"If you want to do something to acknowledge the history of SA football on Adelaide Oval, surely you get both clubs involved and work something out together," Kernahan said.

Kernahan's comments come after Crows chief operating officer Nigel Smart today stood by his club's controversial decision to both wear and sell the South Australian State-of-Origin jumper for the first Showdown against Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval on March 29.

The terms of the marketing deal that was to deliver as much as $500,000 to the Crows coffers from the sale of naming rights on the red guernsey are likely to change later this week with SA Football Commission intervention.

Smart told The Advertiser today the Crows remain committed to the controversial concept and jumper that were revealed at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday afternoon.

"We're committed to all aspects of it (wearing the jumper, selling the jumper and honouring past SA state teams)," said Smart.

SHOULD THE CROWS BE ALLOWED TO WEAR AN SA JUMPER? LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW

The former Crows vice-captain and state player declared no surprise in the extraordinary reaction to Adelaide's decision to wear the state jumper in the derby against the Power.

"A reaction was somewhat expected because we knew that jumper creates a lot of discussion," Smart said. "We expected a reaction, but maybe not the reaction we have had."

Talks between the Crows and SANFL today are expected to deliver a compromise deal in which Adelaide hands part of the proceeds from the sale of the state jumper to the SANFL clubs.

Smart defended the sale of space on the jumper to Crows members saying this was a standard practice among AFL clubs today with heritage jumpers.

The AFL is understood to have made its own gaffe with the jumper proposal.

The Advertiser understands a junior league official approved the use of the state jumper because it posed no direct clash to the black Port Adelaide guernsey. However, this AFL staffer was not aware of the cultural significance of the jumper design delivered by the Crows to AFL House.

Adelaide announced yesterday it would will wear the traditional State football jumper - the red guernsey with the gold and blue V line - in the redeveloped Adelaide Oval's opening with the Showdown against Port Adelaide next month.

The controversial decision marked the second time the Crows had claimed a jumper once proudly reserved for state teams. The previous time was for an AFL heritage round game in which Adelaide took hold of a 1930s state jumper.

Speaking at Adelaide Oval yesterday, Smart declared the jersey would serve as a mark of respect of "140 years of SA football".

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"The Adelaide Football Club was created by the SANFL by all of SA football in 1990 - and in 2014 we are still that team," said Smart.

"With this jumper the Adelaide Football Club is honouring its heritage in SA football. This club reflects the nine SANFL clubs (that formed SA's first AFL entry in 1990."

State Guernseys should be kept for State Games .... Cant imagine a Melb based AFL club being given permission to wear the Big V ! — Warren Tredrea (@warrentredrea) February 5, 2014

The SANFL had endorsed the use of the state jumper in a club game despite Adelaide having non-South Australians in its line-up.

The decision is certain to use a jumper designed to unite South Australians in football has divided state opinion. It also is certain to annoy the Port Adelaide Football Club, a founding member of the SANFL in 1877.

Smart said yesterday of any reaction from Port Adelaide: "I don't care."

Adelaide plans to sell to its members the right to have their names displayed on the one-off jumper.

New @Adelaide_FC away jumper suggests Crows consider themselves SA state team. Imagine reaction if @CarltonFC opted to wear Big V. #arrogant — Warwick Green (@_WarwickGreen) February 5, 2014

Magnificent Crows. Nothing represents the heritage of the Adelaide Football Club better than that state jumper. Deal with it Port fans. — Graham Cornes (@Cornesy12) February 5, 2014

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Originally published as Crows abandon 'Origin' guernsey