Port Adelaide Chairman David Koch is disappointed Collingwood has again declined the club’s request to wear its iconic prison bar guernsey in the Round 23 Showdown, noting it is “disrespectful to our history and disrespectful to our members as well.”

The AFL have consistently told Port Adelaide that it will not approve the club wearing the famous black-and-white prison bar strip without Collingwood’s express consent, pointing to various agreements over the last three decades.

Mr Koch says the original AFL licence agreement was signed in 1995 and the football landscape has changed significantly since then.

“It’s been nearly 30 years since the club signed that original licence agreement and a lot has changed since then,” Mr Koch told the club website.

“Surely we’re past these trivial arguments and acknowledge this is one of these things where it’s time for change and we progress the game, as a truly national competition which acknowledges the rich heritage we all bring.

“We’re not asking to wear it every week, it’s for Showdowns, in Adelaide, to celebrate the rich heritage of Port Adelaide and of South Australian football. It just feels logical, harming no body and promoting the history of Australian football.”

Mr Koch reaffirmed there is a 2007 agreement where all parties – Collingwood, the AFL and Port Adelaide - signed off on Port Adelaide wearing its traditional Prison Bar guernsey in Heritage Rounds every year, except against Collingwood.

“This is all we are asking and we see clubs now having their own Heritage or Retro Rounds proudly wearing traditional guernseys, but just not Port Adelaide,” he said.

“It makes no sense and feels unfair, especially for our people.

“Then there is an agreement signed in 2019 for Port Adelaide to wear the Prison Bar guernsey in 2020 to celebrate our 150^th year, which we did but with just 1500 Port Adelaide fans in attendance due to COVID.

“In that agreement, we couldn’t agree on an ongoing position but both parties agreed to continue the conversation, and that’s what we are still trying to do, in good faith.

“We are talking about one of the great football clubs in this country, with 152 years of authentic history, the only community football club to enter the AFL competition from outside of Victoria that isn’t either a composite team or relocated from Victoria.

“At a time when the number 1 issue in the game is fan engagement and attendance, it’s such an easy solution.

“What we are asking for is entirely reasonable. To wear our iconic Prison Bar guernsey in Showdowns to celebrate the heritage of Port Adelaide and South Australian football. Not against Collingwood, just two times a year, in Adelaide. I don’t see how it impacts anyone negatively at all.”

Koch said that the club understood how important the prison bar guernsey was for its members and supporters and would continue to fight to wear it.

“Collingwood have always said ‘we own black and white in the AFL/VFL, they’re our colours’ – as if you can own two colours – but on the weekend the Collingwood VFL side played the Southport Sharks in the VFL, who are black and white, so why can’t we play in our traditional prison bar guernsey in Showdowns in Adelaide?.

“This issue won’t go away. It is too important for our club and our people,” Mr Koch reaffirmed.