The AFL must sort out the clash guernsey farce once and for all.

After a great first week of finals football where Port Adelaide and Brisbane flexed their muscles, we are now facing the same issue of playing strip clashes - between Geelong and Collingwood - that left a sour taste in the mouth of footy fans 12 months ago.

The higher ranked Cats have earned the right to wearing their home strip by finishing on top of the ladder after the minor round - hoops guernsey, and socks and their traditional navy blue shorts.

While the away team, Collingwood, should be wearing their traditional guernsey, black socks and white away shorts.

But it now appears the lower ranked Magpies get to wear black shorts while the higher ranked Cats will have to wear white shorts.

Once again it has highlighted the desperate need for all clubs to have a clash strip.

While the AFL’s football department are responsible for these decisions, it is clearly evident that teams who have guernseys that clash with their opposition, must have fall back clash jumpers that are distinctly different to their opponents.

Collingwood President Eddie McGuire was quick to voice his displeasure for the kit clash a year ago after fans struggled to differentiate between competing teams. “20 years ago, Frank Costa (former Geelong President) and I shook hands on an agreement that Geelong would always wear white shorts, white jumper and the hoop socks (against Collingwood) and we’d wear all black, we’ve never had an issue.”

However, current Cats’ President Colin Carter revealed, “I have no issue with the jumper clash, and talk of a handshake agreement is news to me, I talked to CEO Brian Cook and he hadn’t heard of it either.”

In short, clubs will never agree, and that's why the AFL must take control of the situation.

And as great a contributor as Eddie McGuire is, so-called handshake agreements from over 20 years ago are antiquated.

For as long as I can remember, clubs with the greater financial standing in the game have dictated to the AFL on the big issues.  But in 201920 it should be more about the collective 18 clubs, not just appeasing the financial powerhouse clubs.

Whilst some clash guernseys have been brilliant, others like Collingwood’s predominantly white with smaller black vertical stripes clash guernsey is too similar to their traditional home strip back with white vertical stripes.

The hard and fast rule is whoever is the home team - or in the case of finals, the home team is determined by the team who qualifies the highest on the ladder - gets to wear their home strip.

So why is it we are still facing the same issues from over 10 years ago? When we have managed to get a season up and running out of hubs in the face of COVID-19?

The answer is simple.  All clubs haven’t been forced by the governing body to come into line – one traditional strip for home games and a clash strip that is distinctly different from teams their home strip clashes with.

Some will argue that tradition take precedence.  The fact of the matter is,  clubs aren’t in a very strong position.

What is unbeknown to many footy fans is in the mid 1980’s when the AFL commission was established, the AFL took back control and ownership of the clubs guernseys.

It didn't stop there.  

Not only did they trademark and copyright the club’s names, guernseys, logos and jumper designs, they also had control over the exact colors as well – the AFL owns the lot.

From there, they sub-licensed them back to the individual clubs.

So, from a legal perspective, the governing body - the AFL - have the power to make any decision they want when it comes to who wears what.  At present, the AFL sits back, and only step in if the clubs can’t find an amicable solution.

The clubs have always looked out for their own best interests and that’s why it’s time for the AFL to adopt the absolute mantra of the “home” team takes precedence.

Sure, every club wants to wear their home strip on the biggest occasion of all, big time finals.

It's also worth noting that in the 2017 Grand Final, the higher qualifying Crows wore their home strip while their opponents, and eventual premiers, Richmond had to wear their predominantly yellow clash strip.

I don't think Richmond would think twice or feel like it was any less of an achievement by winning a flag in yellow with a black sash, rather than the usual black with yellow sash. 

And when you take a look at all the big sporting organisations around the world such as the NBA, NFL and European Champions League whose teams are supported my billions worldwide and have revenues that leave our game in their wake, they too have multiple playing strips and understand it's a way of the times by avoiding a clash.

AFL is clearly the biggest and best sporting code in the country and has recently recorded a huge spike in TV ratings in the face of COVID-19.

But to keep it strong, we can’t have a product where we can’t clearly distinguish one team from the other.

If it’s good enough for the LA Lakers, New England Patriots or Real Madrid to have a clash strip that is distinctly different to their traditional home strip and their opponent, then it’s good enough for us.

It’s time it became a thing of the past.