Stevo's Sting: Do the AFL's fashion police need to step in?

When did the yellow and black go missing?

Richmond's vibrant new guernsey, featuring a far brighter yellow than the mellow mustard of old has clearly been a hit, but what is going on with the socks.

The Tigers are back in black. And it has been noted by former club chief executive Steven Wright, who pointed out on Twitter than Toby Nankervis was the only Tiger in traditional hooped socks on Friday night.

"Is it just me or are there a few different design socks? Some don't seem to have yellow hoops," Wright wrote.

The current club boss Brendon Gale, "liked" the tweet, no doubt a traditionalist too.

Are the AFL'S fashion police, so strict they fined players for wearing cut off socks back in 2006, on to it?

Because Richmond isn't the only club with a wide variety of hoops, hoopless and short socks. The Cats have been noted to for a lack of conformity.

The AFL's interim football manager Andrew Dillon looked into it after our inquiries yesterday.

He had an answer that may appease Wright, and others, who think the whole look is pretty sloppy.

Apart from the traditional AFL sock you can buy in your local sports store, Dillon confirmed players had a approval for a alternative 19cm mid-length sock.

The reason? The players like to fold socks down and the 19cm numbers are not as bulky.

When the 19cm socks are folded down, the hoops invariably disappear.

We get it, and take Dillon's word for it. He's a very smart man.

But on closer inspection, some socks look shorter, and less bulky than the 19cm special exemptions.

Yes, there are far bigger issues in footy, but on closer inspection were some socks shorter and less bulky than the trendy new 19cm look.

It is ok to have Richmond players running around in what looks like a black tennis sock. Tom Hawkins has been rocking a similar look as well ... all navy blue.

Do we need to tidy things up again in time for the biggest game on the biggest stage of all?

Does Gil need to set the fashion police loose again?