Matt Gardner never had a choice – he was born into a life of Port Adelaide fandom.
Growing up in a Port-mad family in the western suburbs, he says supporting the Magpies, and later, the Power, was non-negotiable.
Little did he know then, that in adulthood, he would find connection through his love for the club, and he’d become a part of history through a competition-winning guernsey design.
“I have always been around Port Adelaide, it was the only option growing up as a kid,” he said.
“As a little kid going to SANFL games, all the way through to the Power, I’ve loved the club. There's also family history there. My great grandfather played for Port back in 1896 or something as well, so that’s a pretty cool connection.”
Matt’s great grandfather Hugh Lear Challinder did indeed represent the club in the late 1800s, with records showing he played 23 games between 1896 and 1897.
He also defended his country in World War I, and with the club’s proud history of servicemen and women in the armed forces, his name and rank are etched in history on Port Adelaide’s War Honour Roll.
So it seems only fitting that Matt would develop a deep love for Port Adelaide, and more than 130 years later, he’d be responsible for a special AFL guernsey design, to be worn on Adelaide Oval during the fifth instalment of Gather Round.
Deeply engaged in the guernsey collector community, Matt has formed great friendships within this warm and welcoming group, as he’s continued to delve further into his hobby over the past six years.
“I’ve met a lot of good people through collecting,” Matt said.
“Anthony Lynch was probably one of the biggest collectors, and I worked with him to put the book together (guernsey book ‘Earned the Right’). I’ve built some really good friendships. We catch up. We go to the footy. We go to the AFLW. Go to the Maggies games.
“It’s a really good community, and everyone helps each other out as well. If you're chasing one particular thing, someone will help you out. If they spot something, they'll send it in your direction. It’s a cool little community.”
Matt’s collection has grown a lot over the last few years, but he’s selective with the pieces he invests in.
A Jason Horne-Francis signed match-worn strip is one of his most prized possessions – and it’s the acquisition he’s spent the most on thus far.
“It's probably not as big as other people's collections, but I've got some pieces that I'm really proud of,” he said.
“I probably have about 30 to 40 decent guernseys, and I've probably got about 50 footies.
“My first guernsey, I reckon, would have been a '97 home guernsey, a Port Adelaide Power Guernsey. I had it signed by Mark Williams and Darren Mead.
“In recent years when the match-worn stuff's become more readily available, I've started collecting some of those as well.”
Matt mentions another of his favourite pieces – a 2004 Michael Wilson realistic lightning clash guernsey, which inspired his winning Gather Round guernsey submission.
“I wanted something that I would want to wear and that I thought would look good on field as well,” Matt says of his design.
“The realistic lightning guernsey was always one of my favourites. Even back in the day, it was new and it was exciting at the time. And it's been a fan favourite since. So I knew that it had that popularity there, but I wanted to give a bit of a twist.
“I really like the black bold design of our home guernsey now, so I thought if we can combine the black and bold, but give it that sort of retro feel, with a bit of a fresh take on it, it would be cool and something people might like. And it turns out they did. So I'm pretty stoked with that.”
Matt admits the feeling of watching the boys run out in his guernsey in Gather Round hasn’t quite sunk in. To be part of something that means so much to him, is something he’s only ever dreamed of.
“It'll be weird,” Matt said.
“I'm an absolute tragic. So to know your heroes are out there running around in something that you've helped bring to life, it’s pretty cool.”
When asked what Port Adelaide really means to him, Matt pauses. He’s deep in thought as he works through how to articulate his feelings.
“It's tough,” he sighs.
“I mean, Port Adelaide is a massive part of my life.
“Your week-to-week emotions during footy season hinge on the performance of the team. It's a commonality between friends and family, and it's a topic of discussion all throughout the year, even in off-season.
“It's a massive part of my life, and it's an important thing that I really value.”
Port Adelaide’s 2027 Gather Round guernsey as designed by Matt and voted by the fans, is exclusively available for pre-order at Port Store Alberton and online now.
Pre-order closes Wednesday 7 October at 10am. Please note pre-orders will be shipped end of March 2027.
