THE RETURN of the famous 'prison bar' guernsey is one of a number of ways in which Port Adelaide is considering celebrating its 150th year in season 2020.
Speculation continues to mount that the club may apply to wear the jumpers throughout the 2020 season, or perhaps for a one-off home game at the Adelaide Oval.
However, despite increasing public support, AFL.com.au has confirmed the club is yet to formally request to the League that it wears its throwback guernseys, which are predominantly black with vertical white stripes and a white bar across the middle.
As of Friday afternoon, an online petition to bring back the jumper for the 2020 season is nearing 3500 signatures, having only been launched late last week.
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It follows an outpouring of support on social media from a series of Port Adelaide greats, including Kane Cornes and Warren Tredrea, to allow the jumper to be worn in celebration of the club's 150th birthday.
Vice-captain and star midfielder Ollie Wines has also supported the move, sharing the petition with the caption: "My favourite jumper I've worn throughout my whole football career!"
Should the club elect to wear the jumper at any stage in 2020, it would likely reignite a long-running feud with Collingwood president Eddie McGuire about the origins of the guernsey.
Port Adelaide had initially worn the 'prison bar' jumper in the SANFL from 1902 to 1996, but was forced to change its guernsey – in addition to its club song and its nickname of 'the Magpies' – on entering the AFL due to its similarities with Collingwood.
It was then infamously forced to wear its teal training jumpers for a home game against Collingwood in 2002, heightening the tensions between Power officials and McGuire.
Port Adelaide won the game by five points in a clash widely regarded as one of the club's best ever wins.
A year later, the Magpies reportedly asked the AFL to block the Power's request to wear the jumper for a 'Heritage Round' clash with the Blues, with the plea rejected by the League.
Port Adelaide's chief executive at the time, Brian Cunningham, claimed that Collingwood had "pinched" its colours and name from the South Australian club.
McGuire countered by claiming his side should never be forced to wear a clash jumper, regardless of who it is playing, saying: "I don't think either club (Collingwood or Essendon) needs one, it is the others who have changed to be like us."
Port Adelaide has since worn the jumper only four times since entering the AFL; in 2003 and 2007 as part of 'Heritage Round', as well as in 2013 due to a membership appreciation campaign and again in 2014 to avoid a colour clash with Richmond in its elimination final.
