Celebrating 160 years: Blues unveil special Heritage guernsey

THE Carlton Football Club is proud to launch its Heritage guernsey for 2024, celebrating 160 years of Navy Blue memories and moments.

The AFL players will wear the custom guernsey in the Round 22 match against Hawthorn, with the Club orchestrating an historic photoshoot to mark the occasion and capture the essence of the guernsey.

To launch the Heritage guernsey, Carlton’s current-day players came together with many of the Club’s greats - including some official Legends - marking a special moment in time.

These champions included the iconic Bruce Doull, the games-record holder Craig Bradley, dual premiership player Syd Jackson, Carlton Legend David McKay, Australian Football Hall of Fame members Ken Hunter and Anthony Koutoufides, 1995 premiership player Dean Rice and modern favourites Eddie Betts and Matthew Kreuzer.

Creating some very special moments, the photo pairings included defensive duo Doull and Jacob Weitering, No.5s Jackson and Adam Cerra, West Australian royalty Hunter and Patrick Cripps, dynamic midfielders Bradley and Sam Walsh and more.

From premierships, to the last AFL game played at Princes Park, to the first time the AFLW team formed, this guernsey not only celebrates the past but creates a sense of belonging with the Club and its supporters.  

You can celebrate with us early by joining the Spirit of Carlton Committee and past players at the annual Spirit of Carlton Luncheon on Friday 9 August. Purchase your ticket here.

A classic design, honouring the Club’s traditional guernsey including a collar, focuses on threads that have stood the test of time: old dark Navy Blue, tradition and the monogram.

The guernsey acknowledges what it means to be Carlton: from the players out on the field to the members and fans in the stands, it is the connection everyone feels when they see that monogram proudly emblazoned.

Co-vice captain Jacob Weitering spoke of the privilege to play at a Club with such rich history, with the playing group looking forward to celebrating 160 years.

“When you first arrive at Carlton as a player, it’s hard not to hear about the incredible history. You see not only the cups when you walk in, but the memorabilia of past players, from Norm Smiths to boots and jumpers,” Weitering said.

“It’s great for Carlton to draw on the past, to look back and celebrate the significant moments of the Club. It also gives us a chance to write our own pages in the history books, which we are doing right now.

“It was pretty surreal to have some of the Club’s greats all in one room for the shoot. Speaking to some of them, with all their achievements, they display such humility which is something we really value at Carlton.

“We are a club with a storied history, so to have some of the champions of the game come back and be involved with the Club and something like this, it’s great.

“The guernsey looks fantastic. It’s going to be great to run out in a collared shirt, I know all the boys are pretty excited about it.

“We can’t wait to see all our fans and members celebrate this milestone with us in Round 22.”