Port wear prison bar guernsey to sing the song after Showdown win
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley described the decision to wear the forbidden black-and-white heritage jumpers to sing the team song after Saturday’s 49-point win over Adelaide as “a show of respect” and not a statement against the AFL or Collingwood.
The Power donned their standard V-shaped, black, white and teal home jumper in their Showdown victory after their request to wear their iconic prison bars was rebuffed by the league.
Port were threatened with being docked four premiership points if they went against the AFL’s wishes, while club chairman David Koch and former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire have exchanged barbs publicly over the issue in recent weeks.
“It’s a show of respect for our heritage, our past and our great people who played in it,” Hinkley said.
“We started and began as Port Adelaide and we still are – and part of that journey is this amazing jumper which the boys love, the club loves and everyone who supports this footy club loves.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the fact we had to wait ’til after the game but we’ll recognise it as often as we have to.”
Port wore their teal, white and black jumper for the game but donned the prison bars to sing the song.Credit:Getty Images
Travis Boak, who claimed the Showdown Medal for his best-afield 28-possession midfield masterclass, described the post-match wardrobe switch as “planned” and “special”.
“This guernsey means so much to our community, to our footy club, everyone who represents it, everyone who’s played in it and everybody who’s been around the club,” Boak said.
“To sing the song in this guernsey is special.
“That was planned … if we came off winning, we’d sing it in this guernsey and show our fans that it means just as much to the players as it does the community.”
Boak said any push to wear the black-and-white of the SANFL Magpies in the AFL in the future sat with Koch.
“I’d love to [wear the prison bars in a game again],” Boak said.
“That’s probably up to ‘Kochie’ and the rest of the footy club to continue to fight for.
“As a footy club all together, we love this jumper and we want to wear it as much as we can.”
The only negatives for the Power in their lopsided derby victory were Dan Houston’s inury of his troublesome right shoulder and ruckman Scott Lycett potential suspension after concussing Crows small forward Ned McHenry in a sling tackle.
Hinkley was pragmatic about potentially losing Lycett for next Saturday’s blockbuster against the Western Bulldogs.
“I’ve seen it [the incident] once and concussion is the outcome,” Hinkley said.
“We don’t want and need that in the game.
“Scott will take what comes in that place.
“We’re better off as a competition when we protect the players.”
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