Port Adelaide great Warren Tredrea’s bid for board seat rejected

Port Adelaide premiership captain Warren Tredrea is ready to ‘step up now and help’ the club. But he’s been left disappointed after David Koch rejected his bid to join the board.

Port Adelaide champion Warren Tredrea says his wishes to immediately join the board have been rejected by club president David Koch.

The premiership skipper was told he would need to stand at the members’ elections at the end of 2023 and would not be considered for the AFL-appointed position vacated by director Darren Cahill.

Tredrea, 44, told The Advertiser he was ready to “step up now and help’’ the club.

“But they don’t see fit for me right now which is disappointing,’’ he said.

The board’s view is that it doesn’t want to be choosing “club legends over club legends’’ for a board position

Koch said on Thursday night “So, for right or wrong, we’ve followed the process by saying that if you’re a retired legend or former player you go through the member elected.’’

Port Adelaide’s AGM will be held on Friday night at The Lakes Resort, where it’s believed several members will grill Koch about the Tredrea decision.

The board does not include a former player, although it does contain former football boss Rob Snowden.

David Koch chats with Warren Tredrea at Alberton.

Tredrea said he was told he would need to go to the members vote at the end of the year.

“But I was keen to step up now and hopefully help out,’’ he said.

“If they were red-hot keen they would’ve jumped on it straight away

“The longer it’s gone the more you’re disappointed that they don’t think you’re worthy of the position and the option was to go the members’ vote in December.

“But that’s nearly a year away, when I was hoping to step up and get involved now.

“Effectively, the governance committee said it didn’t want to put me on as an AFL appointment.’’

He said he had spoken to Cahill, who joined the board in 2019, about the position.

“Darren has gone back on the tennis circuit and I had a chat to him and sounded out the role and my understanding is he recommended me and a couple of others as someone who would be willing,’’ Tredrea said.

“Ultimately, it comes back to, I understand, the current board that makes the decision.

“They don’t see fit for me right now which is disappointing.

“All I am is a former player who is in a position where I think I can help the club

“Last year, I watched the footy from the sidelines and I just felt now was my chance to hopefully step up and help in a little way after being effectively out of the place since I retired in 2010.’’

He said media commitments stopped him from previously having an official role at the club.

Tredrea is one of Port Adelaide’s all-time greats.

It’s understood Tredrea’s absence has been noted by club officials.

Tredrea first approached the club in Grand Final week last year.

He then spoke to chief executive Matthew Richardson who invited him to visit the club in October.

He said he spoke to the club again in January, where he was informed by Koch that his name had been forwarded to the club’s governing committee.

Tredrea wouldn’t reveal if there were any more reasons given to him by the club as to why he was overlooked.

Warren Tredrea salutes the Port fans after being inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame.

The AFL Hall of Fame forward and his employer, Channel 9, parted ways in 2022 after Tredrea refused to get the COVID-19 vaccination.

It is reported he is claiming he should be compensated almost $6 million for missing out of future employment with the station.

Koch said on Thursday night former players including Gavin Wanganeen and Darryl Wakelin were member-elected board members.

“We would love Warren to come on the board, like we do all our past players, but from a board perspective, and I’m big on governance and transparency … we have a view that we don’t want to be in a position of choosing one legend over another legend to go on the board,’’ Koch said.

“Maybe I’m too much of a stickler for governance on the board, but that’s what’s been decided.’’