The Port Adelaide Football Club wishes to reiterate its support for the Port Adelaide Cheer Squad following a delayed banner incident prior to Saturday night’s game against Essendon.

The club understands the Cheer Squad was delayed from erecting the club’s run-through banner as Essendon was still undertaking its warm-up on the field.

The Cheer Squad then proceeded onto the ground to erect the run-through banner under instructions from an AFL official, as is the usual procedure.

Keith Thomas, Port Adelaide chief executive

Our Cheer Squad is passionate and highly professional in the way they undertake their duties for the club, and has been so for over a decade under the leadership of Ian Wilson.

The Cheer Squad has our full support and we are proud of the way they conduct themselves.

We have requested information from the stadium as to why the delay occurred on Saturday night, but it is our understanding that circumstances on the field at the time prevented them from undertaking their duties at the time required.

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