Port Adelaide have hit back at a Jason Horne-Francis themed beer, reportedly threatening legal action over the product.
The beer, which details Horne-Francis in a North Melbourne coloured ice bath, references the young gun's alleged refusal to have an ice bath during his debut season at North Melbourne. The 19-year-old departed the Roos after one season, making the move to the Power at the conclusion of the 2022 season.
Per reports from ESPN, Port took issue with the cans, which have since been withdrawn from sale.
โThe idea behind the beer was for it to be a bit of an ice-breaker for the hot topic which is running amok at the moment in the AFL and on social media,โ a Whitelabel Brewing spokesperson said to ESPN.
โIt's a bit of a tongue-in-cheek look at not being professional, because that was the last straw for North.
โI wasn't doing this as a way to get back at him. I'm not doing this out of spite, probably the opposite if anything. It was done to try and diffuse the situation between the two supporter groups and the media, and to try and take a bit of the air out of the topic, because I think it has gone a bit too far.โ
A statement from the Brewery confirmed that the club was "threatening legal action" over the product, prompting the company to apologise.
"Unfortunately, Whitelabel Brewing's planned release of #Icebath Lager has ruffled feathers at Port, with the club threatening legal action against the beer company unless the product was removed," the statement read.
โThe company apologises to Jason Horne-Francis and Port Adelaide if our idea to poke fun at a bizarre situation caused any harm.โ
Horne-Francis is set to face his old team on Saturday, May 13 at Blundstone Arena.
