POWER skipper Warren Tredrea says there’s no merit behind the bizarre ‘choking’ gesture from Hawks forward Mark Williams in Launceston on Saturday.

Williams mimed the hangman’s noose after kicking a goal to seal the Hawthorn victory.

Port Adelaide was labelled ‘chokers’ after claiming three minor premierships, but only making it through to one Grand Final, in 2004, when the Power won their first flag.

Power coach Mark Williams performed a similar noose-like gesture on Grand Final day, to mock critics, including major sponsor Allan Scott, who doubted he would ever lead Port Adelaide to a premiership.

Tredrea said he had ‘no idea’ what the Hawks forward was thinking when he made the gesture.

“I daresay he [Williams] is sitting there regretting it, considering he’s tried to call half my teammates to apologise,” he said.

“I think if he had his time again, he would do it differently.

“The gesture was a form of sledge, but you don’t know what context he was actually meaning to do it in.”

Tredrea was baffled by suggestions the gesture was made in reference to Port Adelaide’s former choking tag.

“He was implying we choked in the game? Is that what you’re saying?” he asked the media.

“I don’t think the gesture has too much merit at all. The original ‘choking’ tag was when we were playing in finals, losing and not getting to the Grand Final.

“Yeah, we had a lead on Saturday and lost the match, but I wouldn’t have thought it was a form of choking.

“We played a pretty good team. Only he knows why he did it. I’ve got no idea but there are probably a number of other examples [of teams losing match winning leads].

“Brisbane could’ve said it [in round four] and there are 15 other clubs that have probably been through a similar situation.”

Tredrea didn’t reveal whether his coach had actually taken a call from Hawthorn’s Williams, but said some of his teammates had told the Hawks star his behaviour was inappropriate and disrespectful.

“Guys that know him personally have told him they thought it was inappropriate, but it’s done now, move on,” he said.

“One person probably didn’t respect Port Adelaide that day [Saturday]. If you ask anyone in the competition who they respect, you’ll find that everyone has a different opinion.

“Whether he does or doesn’t respect us is up to him. We’re all about showing respect. I think our form and history over the journey proves we deserve to be respected.”

Tredrea himself came under scrutiny for a gesture he made last season, after celebrating a goal by bowing to the crowd.

Although Tredrea also regretted his actions on preliminary final day, he said there was no doubt the two gestures were very different.

“In AFL football these days, if you do those things, you get questioned. In the preliminary final last year I bowed to the crowd because we had a big turnout and we were up and going into the Grand Final,” Tredrea said.

“It wasn’t an offensive act, but that seemed to get airtime. It doesn’t surprise me that someone trying to dig up the past on a club gets in trouble.”

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs of the AFL.