Former Collingwood President Eddie McGuire has responded to Port Adelaide’s prison bar jumper stunt.
With the AFL denying the Power’s request to wear the jumper in Saturday night’s home Showdown against Adelaide, Port players decided to change into the heritage strip post-match to sing the team song after their 49-point win.
As perhaps the most vocal figure against the use of the famous jumper at AFL level, McGuire was asked what his thoughts were at half-time of Sunday’s Hawthorn v West Coast game at the MCG.
“The AFL may be saying nothing, but that is a direct poke in the eye to Gillon McLachlan and the AFL commission,” McGuire said on Fox Footy.
“They’re playing with fire now Port Adelaide on this, because they have signed an agreement that they would not manufacture any of those jumpers for merchandise.
“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 more a year than (they give) the Collingwood Football Club.
“That’s fire, there you go. David Koch is sticking his nose into the AFL territory now, it’s a big sized nose, I hope he doesn’t get it broken.”
The Power’s audacious statement divided opinion throughout the footy community, with ex-Magpie Dane Swan labelling the act “cringeworthy” while former Port star Kane Cornes defended the player-led decision.