Port Adelaide chairman David Koch denied entry to South Australia for AFL finals

Port Adelaide will play the most important match of its season to date this weekend, but club chairman David Koch won’t be there.

David Koch, Port Adelaide chairman, wearing the clubs black and white striped guernsey. The fight between Port Adelaide and Collingwood football clubs has heated up today with the fight over the wearing of the black and white guernsey referred to the AFL's legal department. Picture: Jonathan Ng

Port Adelaide will face the Western Bulldogs in the second preliminary final on Saturday evening, but club chairman David Koch won’t be in attendance.

As first reported by 7 News on Thursday, the South Australian government has denied Koch’s request to quarantine in Adelaide, meaning the Sunrise host will miss this weekend’s preliminary final and the AFL grand final in Perth.

The Sydney-based television personality was reportedly unable to avoid border restrictions by spending two weeks in Tasmania or the Northern Territory.

Koch will therefore be watching his beloved Port Adelaide fight for the flag from the couch at home.

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Meanwhile, Melbourne president Kate Roffey has already arrived in Perth to undergo a two-week hotel quarantine.

The winner of tonight’s preliminary final at Adelaide Oval will take on the Demons in the season finale, scheduled for Saturday, September 25.

As revealed last week, former Collingwood president and Fox Footy commentator Eddie McGuire has also been denied entry to Western Australia for the grand final.

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch won’t be at the AFL grand final.

The last time a team had to wait two weeks to play in a grand final was back when second semi-finalists went straight through to the big dance.

That hasn’t happened since 1993 when Carlton had a week off after defeating Adelaide in the second semi-final, then lost to Essendon in the season finale by 44 points.

The year before, West Coast bettered Geelong in the grand final a fortnight after beating the Cats in the second semi-final.

The difference this season is that both finalists will have to navigate the additional week off.

Meanwhile, Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is fuming over a South Australian health officer’s decision to ban the team from training in Adelaide before their preliminary final showdown.

The Bulldogs are one victory away from the AFL grand final. Photo by Albert Perez/AFL Photos via Getty Images

After flying to Adelaide on Friday morning, Beveridge publicly criticised the South Australian government’s decision to deny his club access to the Adelaide Oval before the must-win match.

Beveridge claimed the team had undertaken 14 Covid-19 tests in 25 days.

He said being denied the privilege of conducting a final training run the day before their blockbuster clash was a step too far.

“Usually, what we do is we land and go and have our last training session. The SA health officer hasn’t allowed us to do that today, which isn’t ideal,” Beveridge said on Friday.

“We have almost a three-hour flight and then we are not allowed to stretch our legs and get moving again. We won’t be able to do that until we maybe go for a walk at lunchtime the next day.

“After we get tested again tonight, I think that will be our 14th Covid test in 25 days. I’m pretty sure we are negative. It’s a really strange one for us.

“We just deal with it comically. The pandemic is serious, we know that, but this one is unreasonable, so all you can do is laugh at it. You let that wry grin emerge on your face and have a little bit of a chuckle and move on.”

– with Tyson Otto & NCA NewsWire

Originally published as Port Adelaide chairman David Koch denied entry to South Australia for AFL finals