Port Adelaide has had five players caught in off-field dramas in the past 16 months

PORT Adelaide’s players are having their culture questioned after Sam Powell-Pepper broke team rules — and created an AFL investigation on his behaviour in a late night at a city nightclub

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IN the past 16 months, Port Adelaide players have repeatedly created headlines the AFL club — and the league — seek to avoid.

Excessive drinking (as judged by team rules), car crashes, public brawling, cracking taxi windscreens and now allegations of an incident at a city nightclub.

The question of a worrying culture issue among the Power players — who were untainted by controversy during the club’s darkest hours from 2008-11 — cannot be ignored at Alberton.

Jarman Impey (now playing with Hawthorn) faced court for his car crash on leaving a party at teammate Angus Monfries’ Norwood home in December, 2016.

Jackson Trengove (now at the Western Bulldogs) was first criticised for being involved and hurt in a scuffle outside a Glenelg bar in April last year — and then praised for going to the aid of a woman being harassed at Moseley Square.

Ex-Port player Jarman Impey

Nathan Krakouer

Patrick Ryder was arrested — and then cleared of all charges — for clashing with SA Police as he defended his brother on Hindley St on the Sunday morning after the AFL grand final in October.

When he was in his last days with the club, Nathan Krakouer punched and cracked a taxi windscreen in September outside the Salisbury West Football Club.

And now young midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper is not only facing his leadership group for breaching team rules on drinking and a curfew, but also dealing with an AFL investigation into allegations of an incident.

Paddy Ryder.

Sam Powell-Pepper

This growing record of off-field misbehaviour in such a short time frame — with Trengove and Ryder both cleared — does challenge the Power’s leadership group to deal with a tarnished image.

And that “culture” question.

Team leader Brad Ebert dismisses the external concerns on the Port Adelaide players’ behaviour and standards.

“I’m sure you can ask the question around (the team culture),” Ebert said.

“But when you look at those incidents, both times (with Trengove and Ryder) it ends up being that the players were not really in the wrong.

Team leader Brad Ebert

Port Adelaide Power chairman David Koch

“So to say the culture is an issue, I disagree with.

“As a group, we are pretty strong — and uphold a strong set of values and standards. I don’t believe this is a culture issue.”

Port Adelaide president David Koch on Tuesday noted the challenge of high-profile AFL footballers needing to live up to “role model” images, but also enjoy life.

“Yes (they) have a role in the community. Yes, that’s acknowledged,” Koch said.

“But they have to be young blokes at times.

“I am not sure being a footballer means you have to be a monk. We are not running monasteries here.”

Originally published as Port Adelaide has had five players caught in off-field dramas in the past 16 months