Hawthorn beat Adelaide 10.15 to 9.12 in Tasmania on Thursday night, but much of the attention quickly shifted away from the score and onto the guernseys. Both sides wore Indigenous strips in the Hawks Crows Launceston Game, and viewers complained that the designs clashed badly on television.
Adelaide wore navy blue tops and white shorts, while Hawthorn ran out in a dark yellowy brown top with black shorts. On wide camera angles, the players often blended into one another, and social media reactions were swift. Daniel Cherny wrote: “The shorts selection tonight is mind boggling. Does anyone actually check this stuff off?” Sam Edmund added: “Another one for the jumper clash files?”
The finish left Adelaide at 6-5 after a loss that again exposed their uneven form. Coach Matthew Nicks said his side still has work to do across four quarters, telling reporters: “We need to put a performance out there over a full four quarters against a pretty good side. We haven't done that yet,” He added that frustration was understandable but said there was still optimism in the group because of the upside he sees.
The match also brought concern over Adelaide’s injury list. Izak Rankine limped off in the third quarter with a calf injury, while Callum Ah Chee played on with a guard on his hand. Both are due to go for scans, adding another layer of uncertainty after a night when the football itself never quite stayed the main story.
Nicks also defended his call to play Taylor Walker in the SANFL this weekend, saying the wet, slippery conditions in Launceston were not the right fit for him. He said Adelaide would miss Walker’s leadership in key moments, but added that there were other areas in the game they did not get right. For Adelaide, the trip ended with a loss, a fresh injury worry and a uniform debate that will linger well beyond Thursday night.
