Luke Beveridge issues warning to Port chairman David Koch over allegations about Bulldogs players sledging

The fallout from Port Adelaide star Willie Rioli’s post-game threat to a Western Bulldogs opponent has gone up a notch with a war of words between the clubs escalating.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has shot down David Koch’s claims his players were at all to blame for Willie Rioli’s post-game threats, issuing a warning to the Port Adelaide chairman and declaring his club will “remember it for next time”.

Setting the scene for a fiery rematch when the teams next meet in 2026, Beveridge took exception to Koch’s claims Bulldogs players made “culturally insensitive” remarks during the round 8 smashing in Ballarat, after which Rioli’s threats to Bailey Dale were revealed.

Rioli was given a one-match suspension by the AFL after previous incidents of a similar nature came to light, and Power chairman Koch said comments from other players, including the Bulldogs, played a part in the “build-up and frustrations”.

But on Friday Beveridge was having none of it and even said Koch was “enabling” Rioli and his behaviour.

“I can tell you as a matter of fact that the comments weren’t culturally insensitive,” Beveridge said.

“It surprises me that he (Koch) would insinuate or accuse our players of going down that track.

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch said the Bulldogs players made ‘culturally insensitive’ remarks. Picture: Brett Hartwig

“Especially our football club and our people, high character, we’d never disrespect First Nations people in our language or our actions.

“I said at the time Willie’s made a mistake, we’ll forgive and we’ll move on and he’ll learn from it.

“Will he learn from it if his own club’s enabling him by making excuses for him?

“There’s always a little bit of edginess in the way players talk to each other, but our players would never say anything to an Indigenous player that’s culturally insensitive.

“But we won’t ask for an apology, we’ll just obviously remember it for next time.”

Rioli is back in action this week against Geelong, one of the teams he was accused of behaving improperly against in 2024.

But Beveridge reiterated his players, including Dale, would not engage in any of the on-field behaviour Koch accused them of.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge and Bailey Dale, the subject of one of Willie Rioli’s threats. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“Bailey Dale, who wouldn’t agitate a milkshake, he’s an outstanding player but he’s not an adversarial, front-foot type of player. He plays football,” Beveridge said.

“He wanted to move on extremely quickly because he was surprised by what had happened.

“We thought it was behind us. I’m sure the AFL feel the same, so I’m not sure why that angle has come up after the fact now.

“Maybe it’s because Willie’s back playing this week, I don’t know.”

Originally published as Luke Beveridge issues warning to Port chairman David Koch over allegations about Bulldogs players sledging