AN ANGRY Adelaide chairman Rob Chapman says his club is not to blame for the backflip that has seen the withdrawal of permission to wear a state-themed jumper against Port Adelaide in round two.
The Crows announced on Wednesday that they would wear the guernsey on March 29 and said they had secured permission to do so from both the SANFL and AFL.
But on Thursday evening the SANFL's CEO Leigh Whicker withdrew the league's approval of the design, forcing the Crows to back down.
The Crows stood to make considerable profit from the sale of the jumper, particularly given the opportunity for fans to have their names printed on the design.
Chapman said that while the club would foot the bill, he was annoyed it had been forced to do so.
"We didn't expect the reaction that we got, maybe we did underestimate that, but I'm angry that we've lost that commercial opportunity and I'm angry that we've been put in this position.
"Now that we're six weeks out [from round one] we've got to go back to the drawing board.
"The culpability is going to rest with somebody I would suggest but it's certainly not in our camp."
Speaking to Channel 9 on Friday, Whicker also refused to take responsibility.
He revealed the SA Football Commission hadn't had an opportunity to review the design before the Crows announced they would wear it.
After reaching a verbal agreement with Adelaide CEO Steven Trigg, Whicker said the design was only sent to the Commission shortly before Adelaide's announcement.
The soon-to-be retired SANFL CEO then appeared to contradict himself though by claiming Trigg and the Crows hadn't jumped the gun.
"My main discussion with Steven was about the design of the guernsey, which was sent to the Commission this Wednesday for our meeting this coming Tuesday," Whicker said.
"A note to the Commission was sent out at lunchtime Wednesday of this week (Adelaide's announcement was made at 2.45pm).
"I think Steven took it in good faith, in this industry there is some good faith and I've got no issues with the Crows making an announcement."
Port Adelaide chairman David Koch joined CEO Keith Thomas in hailing the decision to refuse the Crows permission to wear the jumper as a victory for common sense.
Koch said while "it should never have got to this" he was pleased with the about-face.
"Common sense has prevailed," he told SEN radio.
"The opening of Adelaide Oval has got to be a uniting occasion, showcasing the best of South Australian sport."
Chapman believed the Crows had the right to wear a "state representative" jumper given its SANFL heritage.
"We were formed from all the SANFL clubs, all eight of them plus Port Adelaide, and we saw this as an opportunity for us to celebrate and reflect on our heritage," he said.
"We knew that West Coast had worn a state jumper back in 1997, we knew that Port Adelaide, last year, had sought and been given permission to wear their [prison bar] guernsey … we thought it only fitting that we wore a state representative jumper at our first game at Adelaide Oval.
"We did underestimate the reaction and particularly from our legends."
Adelaide's inaugural captain Chris McDermott, Carlton and South Australian football legend Stephen Kernahan, Brownlow medallist Mark Ricciuto and dual premiership defender Tyson Edwards all criticised the club's decision to try to wear the jumper.
The backlash was such that even if the SANFL and AFL had allowed the Crows to wear the design, the club might have canned the idea.
"Up until the moment that it was rescinded we were full steam ahead," Chapman said.
"Now, having said that, we have assessed the reaction, so I think this morning we would have had that meeting and reconsidered our position.
"I don't know what the outcome of that would have been, but we are, let me reinforce, disappointed that it has come to this and we now need to go back to the drawing board."
Chapman said the Crows would now likely wear "the original tri-colours of '91" in round two.
It was reported by Fairfax Media that the AFL intervened to stop the Crows from wearing the guernsey.
Despite the recent sanctions handed down to the club from the League for its handling of Kurt Tippett's contract, Chapman said Adelaide's relationship with the AFL and CEO Andrew Demetriou was strong.
"I'm not aware of the backflip at AFL House, but we certainly don't have a problem there – let me reassure you of that," he said.
"I heard someone mention the affairs of last year and our relationship with AFL House, Andrew Demetriou, the commission, is on solid ground."
