In an effort to continually find a competitive advantage, Collingwood embarked on a journey four years ago to find a manufacturer who could take the best materials and designs from playing uniforms around the world and incorporate them into a purpose built AFL range.
The video above was featured in Tuesday night's episode of The Club (view on YouTube).
This ultimate range was engineered with critical input from players, coaches and sports scientists. The players tested different materials to establish ideal comfort and function and ultimately shared in the design. Coaches and sports scientists were consulted to ensure ultimate performance.
Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley and the club’s director of sports science David Buttifant were also involved in the design process, which was conducted in conjunction with Star Athletic, Collingwood’s new apparel partner.
Star Athletic is an Australian brand owned by TPF, a firm which has been an AFL approved licensee for over 20 years.
The partnership has produced ground breaking results.
Each player will have his jumper individually tailored, taking into account his specific body shape. This tailoring will continually take place throughout the year, as body shapes change due to training and playing loads. Different designs and materials will be used in the course of a single season.
Defenders, for example, can wear form-fitting jumpers with little stretch in them that gives opponents less to grab hold of. Forwards, on the other hand, will have the option of playing in a jumper with greater elasticity, that will make plain any holding by opponents.
In future the players will be issued with tailor-made warm, cold and wet weather jumpers. A new high altitude range of apparel has been selected and will be worn by the players and staff in December, when the team heads to Utah for this year’s high altitude camp in Park City.
Collingwood Football Club chief executive, Gary Pert, said that in a football world where every possible competitive advantage has to be sought the new partnership with Star Athletic is a coup.
“Collingwood is very excited about this new era in Australian sports apparel,” Pert said.
“The partnership with Star Athletic marries the science behind high performance with comfort and quality and we are looking forward to continuing the mission to create the best on and off-field apparel for our players.”
TPF founder and group executive director, Rob Hilton, said the venture with Collingwood was exciting for a number of reasons.
“This is a first in Australian sport and that’s something we’re proud to be sharing with Collingwood,” Hilton said.
“We were both looking for new ways forward, to move into new territory and I think, together, we’ve done that. Australian football is a unique sport that now has its own purpose built apparel. Hopefully, it is the start of a wonderful journey.”
Pert said that the partnership with Star Athletic also stood to benefit Collingwood’s army of members and supporters who will be able to wear the finest jumpers and apparel in the Australian market at extremely competitive prices.
“With a greater input into the design and manufacture of our jumpers and apparel, we can offer our members and supporters a combination of quality, design and affordability,” said Pert.
“If we want every Collingwood fan in a black and white jumper then we want them in the very best and most affordable jumper we can produce.”
With Star Athletic Collingwood’s new jumper and apparel partner, adidas will remain with the club as the Official On Field Footwear Partner, an arrangement that allows a long standing relationship to continue.
Greg Kerr, adidas managing director, area Pacific, said the global sports giant continues to see Collingwood as a natural fit.
“adidas is very proud to extend and evolve what has been a 14 year partnership with the Collingwood Football Club for another 4 years,” Kerr said.
“The evolution of our partnership means that we are now the Official On Field Sports Footwear Partner to the Collingwood Football Club. Our key focus is to provide the best performing footwear products to the coaching staff and players.
“Both adidas and the Collingwood Football Club have a rich and successful history and our future together will be built on innovative products that deliver performance.”
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