Port Adelaide chairman David Koch fires back at Eddie McGuire over jumper feud

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has fired back at former Collingwood President Eddie McGuire as the jersey debate reignites.

David Koch and Eddie McGuire.

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has fired back at former Collingwood President Eddie McGuire, saying the club’s push to wear its iconic prison bars jumper won’t go away.

Koch has campaigned for Port Adelaide’s right to wear the traditional black-and-white striped jumper in Showdowns against the Adelaide Crows.

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After getting permission from the AFL to wear it during last year’s Showdown — albeit in front of mostly empty stands — the Power launched a petition for the right to don it every season.

Port Adelaide has reportedly lodged another request to the AFL to wear the iconic “Prison Bar” strip at this year’s Showdown in round eight, pending Collingwood’s approval.

Port Adelaide players celebrating their victory over the Adelaide Crows in last year’s Showdown.

Even though he is no longer president of the club, McGuire had no doubts about what Collingwood’s response would be, saying it was only fair to reject the request while Port Adelaide benefited from the league’s funding model.

“Collingwood receives $6 million a year less than Port Adelaide, so Collingwood is a net-giver every year and has been to the competition right the way through,” McGuire told Footy Classified on Wednesday evening.

“If they want to celebrate something big, when they start becoming a net-giver instead of a net-receiver, then we’ll have a bit of a look at it.

“They’ve got a thousand jumpers they can wear, they’ve got a really good jumper this year, they might want a premiership jumper.

“Stop annoying us every year. Simple as that. Back off, no. You’ve got a great jumper, just get on with it. It’s just annoying now.”

I’ve never given the matter much thought, because frankly it’s tiresome and I don’t much care...

But.

If Port want to wear that jumper in two Showdowns a year, I don’t really see a problem. At all.

— Tom Richardson (@TomRichardson) March 25, 2021

"Back off...no".

Can I echo Eddie when it comes to the prison bar jumper debate?

Can we just give Port what it wants so we never hear about it again.

It's a jumper!

— Tim Michell (@tim_michell) March 24, 2021

Koch offered a blunt response to the remarks, claiming Port Adelaide would continue to push for their right to don the historic kit, regardless of what McGuire says.

“As we’ve said all along, it is a decision for the AFL and we’ll continue to go through the official channels to have that conversation,” Koch said, as reported by The Advertiser.

“The AFL’s purpose is to ‘progress the game so everyone can share in its heritage’ – everyone.

“Heritage makes our game stronger, connecting our fans and stakeholders uniquely to their clubs – all clubs.

“Anything we can do to strengthen this bond can only build stronger clubs and a healthier game.

“We are simply asking to celebrate our heritage by wearing this Guernsey in two Showdowns a year at Adelaide Oval.”

Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson and Chairman David Koch.

Speaking on SEN SA Breakfast, former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes said it was “absolutely pathetic” the AFL had not granted the club’s request.

“The AFL could have solved this issue 15 years ago and said this is it, this is the rules and this is what’s happening – and they can still do that,” Cornes said on Thursday.

“It’s like when they allowed Collingwood to get away with not having a clash jumper. The AFL were weak on that issue. They were weak with Richmond, now finally Richmond has a clash jersey, which they won a premiership in.

“Has that hurt anyone? Has that hurt Richmond by having a clash guernsey? Will it hurt Collingwood to let Port Adelaide wear a clash jumper in two showdowns? No it won’t.

“It won’t affect the Collingwood Football Club one bit.”