The subject of much media coverage this week has been which jumper will the Gold Coast SUNS wear in the historic round 8 clash against Port Adelaide at Shanghai’s Jiangwan Sports Centre.

The SUNS have worn their traditional red and gold against the Power in each of their seven meetings since 2011, however Port president David Koch wants Gold Coast to wear its white clash strip in China to avoid any link between Gold Coast’s colours and the national colours of China.

Koch has said on the record that if the SUNS wear their red and gold guernseys, it will be the last time they are invited to China. However, Gold Coast Chairman Tony Cochrane and new Chief Executive Mark Evans remain steadfast that the Southeast Queensland club will indeed wear its traditional red and gold strip against the Power.

The Gold Coast was recently named China’s most popular western destination in the world at the annual Destination of the Year awards in Shanghai.

Latest figures show the Gold Coast attracts more than 27 per cent of Australia’s Chinese visitors, or around 295,000 people, and last year this figure increased by 33 per cent. 

The Chinese tourism market also ranked number one for the city of the Gold Coast, and the value this partnership brings to the Gold Coast and the SUNS is immense.

“We’ll be wearing our home strip and there’s some very good reasons for that,” Evans told 3AW on Tuesday night.

“As I’ve found out, tourism on the Gold Coast is pretty important — 3.6 million Chinese tourists were interviewed as to their favourite destination worldwide and Gold Coast came up fourth.

“So it’s a pretty good reason to maximise that opportunity for Tourism Australia and the Gold Coast.”

Cochrane confirmed there was no guernsey clause in the clubs’ agreement.

“There is nothing in the contract,” Cochrane said on Melbourne radio station SEN on Wednesday.

“If something was in that contract don’t you think by now the AFL would have said, ‘Hey guys, come on, look at clause 23A’. (Port Adelaide) have got nowhere to go.

“Our jumper is the same jumper that we’ve had since day one (in 2011), but there are a lot of people very proud to put it on and wear it and play footy in it.

“We are fully entitled to wear that jumper… last time I looked we don’t have a clash with Port Adelaide. We have been wearing that jumper against Port Adelaide every single game since we joined the AFL.”