Eddie McGuire fires warning shot as Port ‘playing with fire’

Eddie McGuire had a little to say about Port Adelaide’s post match Prison Bar guernsey celebrations as the feud continues.

Could these guernseys be a problem?

Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire has sent a stark warning to Port Adelaide after the side donned the Prison Bar guernsey for the celebrations after their win over Adelaide on Saturday night.

Port powered to a big win over Adelaide in the Showdown clash on Saturday but the players switched into the much-discussed jumper as the side did the team song.

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The club’s back and white heritage jumper has been at the centre of one of football’s most petty feuds in recent weeks with president David Koch and McGuire exchanging heated words in public.

Collingwood has officially defended its stance of lobbying the AFL to ban Port Adelaide from using a similar black and white striped jumper, despite Port’s SANFL affiliate wearing the strip.

Port Adelaide's elite trolling effort.

Despite Port Adelaide lobbying the AFL to be allowed to wear the jumper during the club’s two annual grudge matches against the Crows, the league ultimately ruled the club was not allowed to wear its black and white strip this season, but was last year.

While there has been a public stoush between David Koch and Eddie McGuire over the disagreement, the post-match celebration was seen as a direct shot at McGuire.

At halftime in the Hawthorn-West Coast game, the Herald Sun’s Jon Ralph reported the Port prison bar pic was “a player led initiative” and the AFL had no problem with it.

The side didn’t play in the guernsey during the game but changed into it for the team song and celebrations.

While the battle has come down to Collingwood’s complaints against Port Adelaide, Maguire denied it was a personal shot but that Port were playing with fire.

“Nothing from me Jon,” Maguire said on Fox Footy. “All I’ll say is that the AFL may be saying nothing but that is a direct poke in the eye for Gillon McLaughlin and the AFL Commission.

Eddie McGuire has said his peace.

“They’re playing with fire Port Adelaide on this now because they have signed an agreement that they would not manufacture any of those jumpers for merchandise, and as we’ve seen in the crowd, they’re starting to overplay their hand a little bit here. It’s moved out of Collingwood and Port Adelaide, now they’re taking on City Hall who give them $7 million a year more than the Collingwood Football Club.

“David Koch is sticking his nose into the AFL territory now - it‘s a big size nose, I hope he doesn’t get it broken.”

Port coach Ken Hinkley said the guernsey switch wasn’t a swipe at anyone, more a sign of respect.

“It is not a signal to the AFL, it is a show of respect for our heritage, our past and the great people that have played in it, for the people who turn up and represent this club,” Hinkley said.

“We started as Port Adelaide and still are and part of that journey is this amazing jumper. I could not be more proud that the fact, we had to wait until after the game, but we will recognise it as often as we have to.”

Boak said to sing the club song in the jumper was amazing and showed fans it means just as much to the players as it does to the community.

“It was a great moment,” Boak said. “This jumper means so much to our community, to the footy club.”

Originally published as Eddie McGuire fires warning shot as Port ‘playing with fire’