David Koch and Eddie McGuire set for ‘Federal Court’ showdown over jumper war

Eddie McGuire has threatened to meet David Koch in a Federal Court showdown after a bombshell document emerged in their heated dispute.

The document presented on Channel 9's Footy Classified.

The dispute over Port Adelaide’s guernsey in the AFL is heating up as Eddie McGuire has suggested he and David Koch should take the issue to Federal Court to settle the stoush.

It comes as former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes produced a document he says backs up Power’s claim to wear the historic guernsey.

Power have requested to wear their traditional black-and-white prison bar guernsey for the Round 8 Showdown against the Crows on May 8. But Collingwood are objecting as the strip clashes with theirs.

On Wednesday, Koch, president of Port Adelaide Football Club, gave the AFL a public bake, with the league still yet to give a ruling on the request.

Port Adelaide normally wear a black and teal guernsey. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

But want to wear their historic colours for the local derby. Picture: David Mariuz/AAP

The Power have previously worn the historic guernsey and asked the AFL if it could be worn in 2021 for the club’s two matches against their cross-town rivals.

But it has sparked a war of words between Port Adelaide and Collingwood with former Magpies president McGuire refusing to budge on his view that only Collingwood should be allowed to wear a jumper with black and white stripes.

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David Koch, Port Adelaide chairman, wearing the clubs black and white striped guernsey

Document shows Collingwood agreed to guernsey, says former player

The dispute took another turn on Wednesday night when McGuire and former Port Adelaide Power star Kane Cornes lost their tempers arguing about the issue.

Cornes presented a document he claimed was a copy of the original terms of agreement signed by Port Adelaide and Collingwood officials, including McGuire, when Port Adelaide first requested to wear a black-and-white stripe jumper in 2007.

Cornes said the document shows Collingwood agreed to allow Port Adelaide to wear the black and white colours every year during the annual Heritage Round fixtures – a concept which has since been discontinued.

McGuire told Channel 9’s Footy Classified he was a co-author of the document but remained adamant that the club has never given its permission for Port Adelaide to use a black and white jumper as a playing strip or as a merchandise item.

He said Port Adelaide had shown “disrespect” to his former team and had forfeited any link to the black-and-white stripes when they entered the AFL as the Power with black, white and teal colours and moved to distance themselves from the Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL.

“I’m not asking for your opinion. I’m giving you mine. Port Adelaide, back when you were playing, were running away from the Magpies as quickly as possible,” McGuire said in the heated exchange with Cornes.

“Port Adelaide tried to break away – I won’t say ‘Rat’. I won’t say they were ‘Judas’ to the South Australian National Football League.

The document presented by Kane Cornes on Channel 9's Footy Classified.

“When they came into the competition, they couldn’t get any supporters. They realised teal was going to be their colour.”

It came after Cornes repeatedly pressed 56-year-old on why he is not prepared to allow Port Adelaide to wear the jumper for the Showdown games, but was for the Heritage Round.

“Answer my question first,” Cornes barked.

“Why you were comfortable with Port Adelaide wearing it once a year in 2007 and now you’re strongly against it?

“This is celebrating South Australian football and it’s important to the (Port Adelaide) fans.

“It is the equivalent of celebrating South Australian football. It is in South Australia. Not involving Collingwood. Collingwood fans don’t care.”

When it became clear during the debate that there was no hope for a peace deal being negotiated, McGuire made the incendiary suggestion that the two clubs should settle the dispute in the Federal Court of Australia, while the AFL continues to stay silent on the issue.

“I’m sick of it. I think it needs to go to court and be arbitrated on,” he said.

Eddie McGuire and Port Adelaide President David Koch speak at The Importance of Leadership Business Networking Lunch.

“Beyond the AFL. Get it stamped one way or the other. It is quite dangerous what they’re doing.

“I’ve said yes every time when Port Adelaide have asked to wear the jumper when there was a half-decent reason, but to play it twice (per year), you’ve got to be kidding,” he said.

“Fair dinkum. It is ridiculous.”

Collingwood president Mark Korda, the man who replace McGuire, also released a statement on Wednesday night refusing to back down.

“There is a place for only one black-and-white striped jumper in the AFL, the iconic Collingwood jumper,” he claimed in the statement.

He said the club’s decision to support Port Adelaide in wearing the prison bars guernsey in the club’s celebration of its 150th year last year was strictly a one-off.

“We are surprised and disappointed that there is a renewed attempt to introduce the jumper to the competition on a permanent basis,” he said.

“Particularly given what we believe to be an agreement that was reached between the two clubs a number of years ago.”