Brad Ebert denies cultural issues at Port Adelaide following Sam Powell-Pepper incident

PORT Adelaide vice-captain Brad Ebert has rejected claims there is a cultural problem at the Power in the wake of Sam Powell-Pepper’s late-night drinking binge.

Sam Powell-Pepper has been handed a one-match ban by Port Adelaide for his late-night drinking binge. Picture: AAP/Mark Brake

• AFL Daily: All the latest footy news and views
• Powell-Pepper banned
• Is there a cultural issue at Port?
• Powell-Pepper broke team rules
• McDermott: Why days of playing up are over

PORT Adelaide vice-captain Brad Ebert has rejected claims there is a cultural problem at the club in the wake of Sam Powell-Pepper’s late-night drinking binge.

Powell-Pepper will miss Sunday’s clash with Essendon after the Power hit him with a one-game ban for breaching the team’s 2am curfew and excessive drinking on the weekend.

But Ebert said the incident in the early hours of Sunday was not indicative of wider problems at Port, following a series of off-field misdemeanours involving players in the past 16 months.

“I definitely don’t believe that there is any cultural issue,” Ebert told Triple M on Thursday.

“When they start throwing out cultural issues, I definitely don’t agree with that.

“As a leadership group we’ve got our set of standards and he (Powell-Pepper) just wasn’t living up to them on the weekend.

“He was out pretty late, he had consumed a fair bit of alcohol and they’re two things we don’t really want to stand for, so we made that decision.

“I think this is a once off that we’ll address and move on.”

Port Adelaide's Sam Powell-Pepper training at Alberton Oval this week. Picture: AAP/Mark Brake

Port Adelaide's Sam Powell-Pepper leaves Port training. Picture: AAP/Mark Brake

Jarman Impey, now at Hawthorn, faced court for his car crash after leaving a party at teammate Angus Monfries’ house in December 2016.

Jackson Trengove, who has since departed for Western Bulldogs, was involved in a scuffle defending a woman outside a Glenelg bar last April.

Patrick Ryder clashed with police on Hindley St, before being cleared of charges in October, while Nathan Krakouer punched a taxi windscreen in September in his last days with the club.

CCTV footage showed Powell-Pepper in Mr Kim’s nightclub and on nearby Hindley St following Saturday’s five-point win over Brisbane Lions at Adelaide Oval.

Ebert said the 20-year-old midfielder had been out with friends, not involved with the football club.

“In situations like that, where boys go off on their own you really can’t police it all,” 216-game veteran Ebert said.

“You try to put it back into their court.

“They’re young guys and while they still need some care and looking after, they’re still able to make decisions for themselves.

“In an eight-day break we say ‘you can have a few beers, without going too silly’.

“Pepps (Powell-Pepper) I guess broke that.”

Port Adelaide vice-captain Brad Ebert has backed Sam Powell-Pepper to learn from his one-match ban for breaking the team’s curfew. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Powell-Pepper fronted the Port leadership group earlier this week to explain his actions.

Ebert backed the 187cm West Australian to learn from the setback.

“He definitely was remorseful about what he did and he was a little bit embarrassed about the whole situation,” Ebert, 28, said.

“He fronted up to the group and spoke about it, and understood that there was going to be penalties.

“As a group we wanted to make sure that we stood up to the situation and didn’t just brush it under.

“With this one, we needed to make a stand and show to the rest of that group that that sort of stuff won’t be tolerated.

“He’ll learn this lesson and I’m sure he won’t be doing it again.”

The AFL and the Power are continuing to investigate claims Powell-Pepper inappropriately touched a woman at the nightclub.

Originally published as Brad Ebert denies cultural issues at Port Adelaide following Sam Powell-Pepper incident