Port Adelaide chairman David Koch on front foot in Power post-season speech

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has used his annual speech at the club’s best and fairest to attack ‘anonymous naysayers trying to tear our club apart’ by spreading myths about the club’s financial position.

Port chairman David Koch was on the front foot at the Power’s best and fairest. Picture: AFL Photos

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has used his speech at the club’s gala champion awards night to throw his support behind “selfless” coach Ken Hinkley, acknowledge the excitement ahead of the club’s 150th anniversary in 2020 and debunk “myths” about Port’s financial status.

“Can I just take this opportunity to debunk some rumours that have been peddled about our financial position ... spread by anonymous naysayers trying to tear our club apart,” Koch said. “Our financial year finishes at the end of this month and Port Adelaide’s financial result this year will be better than last year’s result and we’ll be paying down $1 million in debt ... so it has been a bit annoying to follow some of the commentary that is just absolutely baseless.

“Plus, can I assure everyone our football department is fully funded in terms of salary cap and soft cap.”

Koch acknowledged because the Power failed to make finals – finishing 10th – the season fell short of expectation.

Port chairman David Koch was on the front foot at the Power’s best and fairest.

“While the Maggies made the grand final, we fell short of playing AFL finals again ... to that end, we are all disappointed,” he told the crowd of 900 at Adelaide Convention Centre. “On the other hand, we are in a far better position than we were 12 months ago in pursuit of our next premiership.”

He said despite missing finals by “one annoying game”, there was a clear path ahead, built on the side’s youth, including Rising Star runner-up Connor Rozee, Dan Houston, Karl Amon and Tom Clurey.

“You see, we’re taking a longer-term view of improving our list for the future but we will not bottom,” Koch said.

“We reset at the end of 2018 and are building towards our next premiership, because that’s why we exist – to win premierships. Youth has been a huge focus to us ... we have invested in quality youth within our playing group and this is where Ken (Hinkley) deserves an enormous amount of credit.

“While it could have been easy for Kenny to promote a short-term view to protect the win-loss count in 2019, he selflessly bought into the view that the club had to make tough calls at the end of last season that will set the club up going forward. It was a courageous decision made for the betterment of this club moving forward ... and I reckon, personally, he’s been harshly judged in certain quarters by people who have failed to see the bigger picture of what we’re trying to achieve.”

Koch acknowledged the achievement of Port’s SANFL side that made it through to the grand final but was beaten by Glenelg.

“Well done to Matt Lokan, his coaching staff and all the players who got us to the grand final against all odds,” he said.

“We all know it’s not really a level playing field for us in the SANFL, the restrictions on us are pretty considerable.

“But we will continue to strive for success at both the AFL and SANFL level.”

Koch said the club’s vision was to become a finals contender and not limp into September for the “short-term sugar hits” of making finals.

He was full of praise for Travis Boak, saying: “We’re seeing it day-in, day-out, in an era of dramatic player movement, Trav stands out like a beacon, as a player who stood by Port Adelaide in our darkest time, when it could have been so easy for him to go home.”