Re: 2018 Rd 9: Post Game Calm: Carlton vs Melbourne
Reply #210 –
Not really, I found once the material was soaked it stayed wet much longer, and held more water. As soon as the rain stopped you would see players pushing their sleeves up because having muddy arms was the best solution. I think it was the grit from the mud that was more beneficial.
But overall the worst thing you could do was be coated in liniment on a drizzly day, you might as well coat the footy in silicone spray.
Another reason some blokes wore long sleeves sometimes was to deal with chaffing or material burns under your armpits, it wasn't a big issue but it can become a distraction. I've read that these days players use those high tech undergarments for the very same reasons. Back in my day it was tighter shorts or jumper, or Vaseline! Capper started wearing those tiny shorts for the very same reason! Of course, back in those days some blokes also wore stockings in the wet, a very common practice at Federal, VFA or VFL level.