Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak has admitted comments made by Chairman David Koch following their elimination final defeat to West Coast were unnecessary, but defended his passion for the club.
Following the after the siren, extra time defeat, Koch spoke at a members function where he declared the team blew the victory, and told players they would be traded if they were not prepared to bleed for a premiership.
The 29-year-old said the comments hurt, and in retrospect should not have been made.
“Not really (necessary). It did hurt,” Boak said on SEN’s The Super Box.
“He’s a passionate Port Adelaide man and he was really disappointed with the result and I guess that’s the way he expressed his feelings.
“I think after he looked back on it he explained his comments a little bit more and understood how much we were hurting.
“He was in the rooms after the game, and after a loss like that there were a lot of tears flowing and he did see that, he was just pretty disappointed at the result.”
The fallout from the Power’s defeat has been dramatic, with major speculation that coach Ken Hinkley was considering a move to the Gold Coast to fill their vacant coaching position.
In the end, Hinkley re-signed with the club this week until the end of 2021 and Boak is ecstatic he has recommitted.
"I was never in doubt that he (Hinkley) would re-sign. He loves the club and loves the playing group. We're stoked to have him."
"We absolutely love him. We're pretty happy to have him on board."