Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has vowed not to let the Port Adelaide Magpies disappear

DAVID Koch has guaranteed the future of the Magpies, promising to put his club's plans to have an AFL reserves team on hold.

PORT Adelaide chairman David Koch has guaranteed the future of the Magpies, promising to put his club's plans to have an AFL reserves team on hold if it means losing the Magpies' under-age teams and recruiting zones.

In a bombshell which could reshape the AFL reserves debate in South Australia, Koch pledged his club's commitment to its SANFL arm in an address at the SANFL chairman's lunch today.

"I stand here today basically on behalf of the board, Keith Thomas, the staff, the coaches and players, the entire Port Adelaide community and declare we will not support any proposition that would see a genuine Magpies structure removed from the SANFL competition," Koch said.

Power and Magpies make up Port's DNA

"We will not agree to the Magpies being dismantled."

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The SANFL clubs are currently mulling over whether to allow the Crows and Power to field reserves teams in their league competition next season.

Buddy in doubt for Port clash

While the Crows have proposed a stand-alone side, Port wants its excess AFL-listed players based with the Magpies and to retain the Magpies current structure.

"Read my lips everyone, work with our proposal where Port Adelaide's community remains in tact and we continue to be a committed, genuine contributor to the SANFL competition like we have for 143 years," Koch said.

"Or if that is rejected, we will keep the status quo. We will continue our AFL and SANFL structures as they are
today.

"Therefore the Power will not have a reserves team in the SANFL 2014 competition. This will position us with a competitive disadvantage in the AFL but it's a price we're willing to pay to preserve our intrinsic links to the community...

"Let me tell you Ken Hinkley is not thrilled about the prospect of being the only AFL side not to have a reserves side but he understands... the importance of a strong values set.

"Those values can't be compromised... some things are just more important than footy."

Koch revealed the club had identified a significant financial risk associated with losing its connection with the Magpie community.

"The decision to end the Magpies is going to disappoint - and I would say anger - the community. And we are feeling it now. We can't afford to let that happen," he said.

"The community we've worked so hard to reunite will again be divided - and that's a commercial risk to us."

Crows football operations manager Phil Harper said he hoped his club's proposal would be treated independently of Port's.

"I'd like to think (it doesn't hurt our chances)," Harper said.
"We've kept our proposal separate from their's all along... our needs are different to their needs."