A SEETHING Port Adelaide has slammed an AFL decision forcing the club to wear its white clash strip in Sunday's elimination final against Richmond after it was deemed the Tigers don't have a viable alternative jumper.

 

The Power were directed on Monday to wear their clash strip, despite finishing fifth and earning the right to host Sunday's final at Adelaide Oval.

 

The club said the decision was based on the "assertion that Richmond does not have a clash strip that is distinctive enough when compared to the Power’s traditional black home uniform".

 

The Tigers' clash strip is similar to its home strip, with additional yellow panels down the side of the jumper and around the neck and arms.

  

Port Adelaide CEO Keith Thomas said the club was adamant it should be able to wear its traditional black home strip and it was "incumbent on Richmond to wear a guernsey that doesn’t clash with ours".

"It's a billion-dollar industry, you'd reckon that we could get those sorts of things right," he said.

   

"You've got to be strong. Port Adelaide would prefer not to be wearing its white guernsey any week, but it has to because we abide by the policy of the AFL.

"I don't think it's inappropriate for Richmond to have to wear a yellow guernsey when they're away and clashing with the home side.

"You can't have one rule for one group and another rule for another."

 

Thomas said he was had not received an apology from AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan.

Although he had been told there was no room for negotiation, Thomas said he hoped the AFL would appreciate the gravity of its decision and try to find a fair solution.

"'Gill's busy and he's a long way away from here, but I'm sure at some stage today he'll become away of what this decision means in Adelaide," he said.

"What I've heard is, 'You're wearing the white guernsey, these are the reasons why, there's not much we can do'. I'd like them to explore it a little bit more."

Thomas said the AFL needed to address the clash jumper issue so home clubs weren't put in a similar position in the future.

Power coach Ken Hinkley was less upset with the AFL's decision, insisting he was squarely focused on preparing for Sunday's on-field battle.

 

Hinkley said they would only concern themselves with aspects of the final that they had control over.

 

"It doesn't worry me – it is what it is," Hinkley said.

 

"We don't choose, I think that's the key message with that, we don't choose when we play, where we play and who we play – it's all given to us.

 

"Our obligation is to go out there and perform at our absolute best."