Brad Ebert understands the scrutiny surrounding Sam Powell-Pepper affair as David Koch vows to take the matter further

PORT Adelaide president David Koch has vowed to pursue the Sam Powell-Pepper matter further, saying the league had ‘railroaded’ the Power player while trying to rebuild its reputation with women.

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PORT Adelaide president David Koch has vowed to pursue the Sam Powell-Pepper matter further, saying the league had “railroaded” the Power player while trying to rebuild its reputation with women.

Koch reportedly told Triple M in a statement on Thursday morning he would take the matter to the next AFL presidents’ meeting and was unhappy with being on the outside of the AFL investigation.

It comes as midfielder Brad Ebert says the scrutiny surrounding the matter is the new par for the course for AFL players as the fallout around the nightclub incident continues.

Sam Powell-Pepper in action for the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL on Wednesday. Picture MATT TURNER.

Powell-Pepper is serving a three-week suspension imposed by the AFL for engaging in inappropriate behaviour that was seen to be unbecoming for an AFL player by being intoxicated in a public place and by making inappropriate contact with a female.

This came after the Power had already suspended Powell-Pepper for one week for being drinking and being out late.

Koch reportedly told the station he felt that the heavy punishment was part of the league trying to tidy up its reputation in the wake of two senior executives last year resigning from the AFL because of affairs with younger female staffers.

“The whole respect and responsibility policy leaves the clubs in the dark,” Koch was reported to have said in a statement.

“They take complete control. I issued them a grievance notice before they would start talking sense.

“My biggest issue was they are railroading a kid and trying to rebuild their reputation with women because of the misdemeanours of their own former executives.

“In Sam Powell-Pepper’s case, a woman anonymously made these claims, did not press charges with police — which we were happy for her to do. We have vision of the entire night and the head of the integrity unit refused to see it.

“I’m putting it on the agenda at the next president’s meeting.”

Club chief executive Keith Thomas will hold a press conference at 12.30pm (SA time) on Thursday to address the matter.

Ebert said the close scrutiny — with players being filmed by football fans while they are out — was to be expected in the new AFL environment.

“I guess that’s what the nature of what we’re in,” Ebert told Adelaide radio station Triple M. “For us to earn the money that we’re on and do the job that we do the media needs to go along with that.

“You are going to be scrutinised higher than other people.

“You understand that that’s part of it, to a degree.

“You’re always trying to find that balance around letting your hair down and enjoying yourself but you obviously can’t go over the line.

“We’re trying to find that right balance.”