Port Adelaide greats John Cahill, George Fiacchi lament Magpies’ exit from 2020 SANFL competition as part of coronavirus fallout

May 12 was the day Port Adelaide Football Club turned 150. But celebrations soured as it was announced the Magpies would not play in the SANFL in 2020, disappointing two Hall of Famers.

John Cahill, pictured after winning the 1995 SANFL grand final, and George Fiacchi (far right) are both upset at the loss of the Port Magpies for the 2020 season.

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Port Adelaide greats are shattered the club will be missing from the SANFL for the first time in the competition’s 143-year history in 2020.

As Port marked its 150th birthday on Tuesday, celebrations soured when the SANFL announced the Magpies and Crows would not feature this season, due to the AFL stopping elite-level players from lining up in second-tier leagues.

The AFL’s decision stemmed from wanting its clubs to restrict the number of people their players came into contact with to stop the spread of coronavirus.

Formed in 1870, Port has been part of every state league campaign since the creation of the SANFL’s forerunner, the SA Football Association, in 1877, and it is its most successful club with 36 premierships.

Port Hall of Famer and seven-time flag winner George Fiacchi told The Advertiser watching the SANFL without the Magpies would be “really upsetting”.

“We’re still playing AFL football and have got Port Adelaide on the national stage, that’s great … but the heart and soul of the football club is actually the Magpies,” said Fiacchi, who donned the prison-bar guernsey from 1985-97.

“Today was the day the Port Adelaide Football Club was formed, so the timing couldn’t have been weirder.

“The supporters are going to be really, really disappointed and I can sense that already.

“It hasn’t really sunk in – I think we’re all trying to get our head around it.”

George Fiacchi (centre) after Port Adelaide’s 1988 SANFL grand final win over Glenelg.

Port remained in the SANFL after winning the AFL’s second SA licence for the 1997 season and won its most recent state-league premiership in 1999.

Since 2014, the Magpies have been the Power’s reserves and their team comprises mainly AFL players with a handful of “top-up” footballers not aligned to other SANFL sides.

As part of the agreement to have a reserves team in the state league, Port gave up its recruiting zones and junior teams in 2015 – a move ex-club board member Fiacchi said should have been avoided.

“This wouldn’t have happened if we had players from our zone we could call on,” he said.

Ten-time Magpies premiership coach and four-time best and fairest John Cahill described Port’s absence from the SANFL this year as “one of the biggest challenges we’ve had”.

But the Australian Football Hall of Fame member was hopeful the club could bounce back and field a SANFL side again in 2021.

“I guess they’re looking at health and welfare and I agree with all that, it’s just so disappointing,” said Cahill, who played for the Magpies from 1958-73, then coached them from 1974-82, 1988-96 and again in 2005.

Port Adelaide has a long history of SANFL success, winning a competition record 36 flags.

“It’s something you never expected.

“In their 150th year with all the work they’ve put in, they’ve worked so hard to make this such a good year and at this stage it’s all backfired on them.

“Port’s set the bar in the SANFL with their attitude and results so let’s hope it works out.

“We’ll do everything off field to make sure they are (back in 2021).”

Port chief executive Keith Thomas said the club was disappointed to sit out the 2020 SANFL campaign but was preparing for the Magpies to be back next year.

“The Magpies are an integral fabric of our football club and we will do everything in our power to ensure we return to the status quo in 2021,” Thomas said.

“We signed a 15-year agreement at the end of 2013 to participate in the SANFL and we intend to honour that agreement.”

“It is very disappointing to not have Port Adelaide participate in the SANFL competition this season, especially given it is our 150th anniversary,

“We are a foundation club of the SANFL and proud of this heritage.

“We look forward to continuing that legacy in the SANFL in 2021.”

Originally published as Port Adelaide greats John Cahill, George Fiacchi lament Magpies’ exit from 2020 SANFL competition as part of coronavirus fallout