Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has claimed the SANFL “rigged” the rules against South Australia’s two AFL sides and accused the league of “wanting Port to be last”.

The long-time SA powerhouse claimed its first state league wooden spoon since 1900 this year, with the club’s reserves side finishing 4-14 with a percentage of 67.4.

Adelaide also missed the finals, going 8-10.

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Koch was especially incensed as he took to the radio waves, directing his anger squarely at the South Australian state competition.

“It means the SANFL have got what they wanted,” Koch told FIVAaa following the season’s end.

“They wanted Port to be last; they rigged the (AFL club concession) rules and we can’t wait to be out of there’’.

Amid the expected imminent introduction of a national reserves competition, Port Adelaide and Adelaide remain in talks with the SANFL regarding concessions they will receive — largely revolving around supplementary player talent — to stay in the state league for a further two seasons, but the clubs could pull their sides earlier.

“Port Adelaide is quite open about its plans to exit the SANFL — 150 years of history — (it’s) certainly a massive story in South Australia,” Herald Sun journalist Jay Clark told Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle in May.

“Adelaide have followed suit; they both want to exit that league and be part of a national second-tier competition, which will involve all 18 clubs.

“I think this will happen, and they’re pushing for it to happen next year — so, I think we get used to that idea that SANFL, potentially the WAFL, are going to be missing those traditional clubs.

“I think, for the fairness and the quality of the whole competition, that really needs to happen.”

The VFL competition currently comprises 14 of the AFL’s 18 clubs, with just the South and Western Australian sides yet to join the ranks.

While Port Adelaide, Adelaide and West Coast have collectively expressed interest in culminating a national reserves competition, foxfooty.com.au’s Will Faulkner reported in April that Fremantle was ‘out of step’ with those other clubs.

Koch also took a swipe at the SANFL’s reliance on funding.

“They have said to the AFL ‘we’re not going to change the rules until you agree to give us our funding from the AFL’,” he told FIVEaa.

“That’s like going to the bank and saying ‘you know, we’re not going to discuss the terms until you give us the money’, because the AFL is the SANFL’s bank.”

Despite their torrid 2024 season, the Port Magpies have qualified for — but lost — three SANFL grand finals over the course of the past decade, indicating their more-than-competitive stature in the competition in years past.

And with regards to the league’s player talent and development, the Power swooped on former Norwood product Logan Evans at this year’s mid-season draft.

Evans has since played 10 games, averaging 16.0 disposals and 6.1 marks, and earned the Round 24 Rising Star nomination — putting himself in the running to claim the honour.