Port Adelaide Football Club chairman David Koch defends Warren Tredrea’s place on Port Adelaide Power board
Port Adelaide Football Club chairman David Koch has defended former champion Warren Tredrea’s position on the club’s board the day after his appearance in court.
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Port Adelaide Football Club chairman David Koch has defended former champion Warren Tredrea’s position on the club’s board amid the former Power premiership captain’s Federal Court battle with Channel 9.
A court has ordered Tredrea to reimburse Nine’s legal costs – estimated at between $100,000 and $200,000 – incurred by his attempt to resurrect his wrongful dismissal lawsuit.
However, it emerged on Tuesday Tredrea had told a court he had paid his debt to Channel 9 with a legal IOU because Australia has no “gold or silver coins” in circulation.
Tredrea has also claimed, in Federal Court documents, he is “not an entity” nor a “legal person, citizen or resident” but a “private man” whose “yes be yes” and “no be no”.
Appearing on FIVEAA on Wednesday morning, the Power boss defended Tredrea’s position on the board after David Penberthy asked if there was anything which emerged in court on Tuesday which would force Port to change its relationship with Tredrea.
“Like all directors on a board, he’s a volunteer, so he’s not a paid member of staff or on the executive team,” Koch said.
“He’s a really good contributor to board meetings and also the football strategic committee.
“What happens in his private life is up to him, whether you agree with some of the things he says or not doesn’t really matter.
“I’m just interested in how he performs as a director on the Port Adelaide board, and he’s doing pretty well.”
Penberthy asked if Tredrea’s unique views about governance, financing, and health were of concern.
“You’ve got a whole bunch of young guys under your care, you want them to follow mainstream medicine and so forth – do you ever worry that those unorthodox views he has can drift into those areas?” Penberthy asked.
However, Koch said Tredrea did not discuss the topics at board meetings or impose those views on the club or the board.
“He’s there as a director of a football club, and his input is really valuable,” Koch said.
“It’s a private matter … we’ve got a really diverse board, and every organsation does, and as long as it doesn’t impact their role as a director, it’s really got nothing to do with us.
Former Power star - and premiership teammate of Tredrea - Kane Cornes said on his Channel 7 program The Agenda Setters on Tuesday night the Port Adelaide Football Club needed to be “stronger” with its response to the issue.
“It’s not a private matter now, the fact that it is in court is a public issue,” he said.
“I think their statement has been around ‘this is a private matter so we won’t be commenting but I think the Port Adelaide fans deserve a little bit more than that”.
“I’ve got a lot of affection for Warren because he was such a good mentor for me when I was a young player … he helped me through some challenging times.
“My overriding emotion is I’m a bit sad … I don’t think anyone wants to be doorstopped outside the front of court … It’s not an ideal situation to be owing money to someone.
“This isn’t ideal for the Port Adelaide Football Club at all.”
Originally published as Port Adelaide Football Club chairman David Koch defends Warren Tredrea’s place on Port Adelaide Power board
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