Port Adelaide news 2023: Warren Tredrea accuses David Koch of gaslighting him

The war of words between Power legend Warren Tredrea and chairman David Koch has taken another twist, with the former spearhead accusing the TV personality of “gaslighting” him.

Picture SARAH REED

Warren Tredrea has escalated a war of words with his former club, accusing Port Adelaide chairman David Koch of gaslighting him.

Tredrea began the week by describing coach Ken Hinkley’s situation as “untenable” then was on the receiving end of a cheeky jab on Wednesday from Koch when he defended the club and said the 2004 premiership captain had “a new podcast to promote”.

The latest barb from Koch irked Tredrea, who was knocked back from immediately joining the club’s board during the off-season.

“I can’t ignore multiple times now he’s gaslighting,” Tredrea, the Power’s all-time leading goalkicker, said on FIVEaa.

“When I went to the board, he told me – not to me – that ‘you need to learn about Port Adelaide’.

“I was like ‘OK, I’ll let that go’, but then yesterday he’s said it’s to get podcast downloads.

“Telling people to get involved in the club and learn about the club, and it’s for a podcast, give us a spell.”

Tredrea, who played 255 AFL games for the club from 1997-2010, denied he was bitter about missing out on a board position, saying his comments stemmed from him caring.

He said he tried to get on the board with the right intentions “knowing full well because I’ve been outspoken, they might not want me, well, that was the case”.

Tredrea also said he and Koch “haven’t talked for years”.

Koch and Tredrea in 2012.

Hinkley is out of contract at season’s end and has coached the Power since 2013, making three preliminary finals and missing the top eight five times.

He is under fire after the Power’s 31-point Showdown loss on the back of a 12-goal defeat to Collingwood.

Tredrea said Koch had tried to discredit him by suggesting he wanted him gone after only three games.

“Blind Freddy Port supporter knows it’s more than three games,” he said.

“It’s 10 years and three games.

“I’m actually convinced many may not have listened to the whole 18 to 20 minutes of the podcast where I stepped through my reasoning for this.”

Tredrea said his feedback was brutal, which Port Adelaide built its foundation on.

“I’m calling it as I see it,” he said.

“I’ve been a Port kid all my life.

“I can’t sit and watch my club, which I think has slipped … in their decision-making.

“I’m not here to nail Ken, I’m just saying he’s in a situation where it’s untenable.”

Tredrea would not answer specifically whether he thought Koch should step aside, but said “if and when you make a decision for the coach, then you address other issues that need to change”.

Tredrea called Hinkley’s job at the Power untenable this week. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

“The board is full of a lot of 10-year plus servants,” he said.

“This is not self-interest … I haven’t even thought of going there (on the board) because I’m back doing work in the media.

“The good parameters of businesses, they turn things over.”

On Wednesday, Koch insisted a decision would not be made on Hinkley’s future until August.

“Ken is the coach of the football club for this year and it’s round 3 for goodness sake,” Koch told FIVEaa.

“We always respect the views of our past legends.

“I think the massive opinion of everybody to the comments of Warren is that you are crazy to make any judgments after three rounds.

“Warren is a highly respected legend of the club but there’s lots of other highly respected legends of the club that support what the club is doing and totally disagree with Warren.”

KOCH: ‘CRAZY’ TO MAKE JUDGEMENTS ON KEN AFTER THREE ROUNDS

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has backed under-fire coach Ken Hinkley, saying it is crazy to make any decisions on his future three rounds into the season.

Club legend Warren Tredrea labelled Hinkley’s position “untenable” after the Power’s 1-2 start and Saturday night’s 31-point Showdown loss, but Koch stood by the pre-season pledge that no calls would be made until August.

Hinkley, who has been in the job since 2013, making three preliminary finals and missing the top eight five times, is out of contract at season’s end.

“Ken is the coach of the football club for this year and it’s round 3 for goodness sake,” Koch told FIVEaa.

“We always respect the views of our past legends.

Warren Tredrea has called Ken Hinkley’s position at Port Adelaide untenable. Picture: AAP/Keryn Stevens

“Tredders has a view, (Power premiership teammate) Kane Cornes has exactly the opposite view and … has come out quite critically against Tredders, (commentator) Gerard Whateley, even (former Crows captain) Mark Bickley has said they were just stupid comments.

“I think the massive opinion of everybody to the comments of Warren are that you are crazy to make any judgments after three rounds.

“Warren is a highly respected legend of the club but there’s lots of other highly respected legends of the club that support what the club is doing and totally disagree with Warren.”

Koch said losing a Showdown, particularly in its traditional prison-bar guernsey, was disappointing but it was early in a very long campaign.

“Ken and the team need to get on with the job and need time to breathe, and get into the season,” he said.

“We all knew we had one of the toughest opening five, six rounds.

“I expect the team to respond accordingly on Saturday night against the Swans at the SCG.”

Tredrea’s criticisms of his former club also included that there was a disconnect with members because they were sick of promises and felt they were not being listened to.

Asked if the Power had lost the fans, Koch said: “Everyone’s very emotional after a Showdown loss”.

David Koch has backed Ken Hinkley as coach of Port Adelaide. Picture SARAH REED

“You know the emotions behind football, you know the rollercoaster behind football,” he said.

“My role is to look at things objectively, not emotionally.”

Koch insisted the players still supported Hinkley.

The Power chairman also had a cheeky dig at Tredrea, the club’s sole AFL premiership captain and its all-time leading goalkicker at the elite level, pointing out that he “has a new podcast to promote”.

Tredrea, whose bid to immediately join the club’s board during the off-season was rejected by Koch, first made his Hinkley comments on his Big Deal podcast on Monday.

Port faces Sydney at the SCG on Saturday night before returning home to host the Western Bulldogs in Gather Round.

Originally published as Port Adelaide news 2023: Warren Tredrea accuses David Koch of gaslighting him