PORT Adelaide will support Paddy Ryder as he prepares to front court after being charged with assaulting a police officer and hindering police, with the ruckman declaring the story had been misreported.
Ryder will appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on November 15 after an incident involving his younger brother and cousin on Hindley Street in Adelaide last Sunday morning.
The 29-year-old and CEO Keith Thomas made a brief statement to the media on Thursday, with no questions allowed.
Ryder said much was still to be revealed.
"I think that it's unfortunate that the information given to the public so far by the media falls a long way short of the true picture, but there is nothing I can do about that at the moment other than to ask people not to judge me yet, and to allow me to deal with this in the right way," Ryder said in a prepared statement.
"I look forward to the opportunity to deal with these allegations in court."
Thomas backed up Ryder's message.
"We are well aware that some of the media stories that have been circulating this week have been incorrect, unbalanced and not based upon a true and complete picture of events that occurred," Thomas said.
"This has been pretty unfair on Paddy and his family, and on the club as well. We're not blaming anyone for that, it's just the circumstances that this creates is that there is a very limited amount of information that can flow out of the event."
Port will stand by Ryder.
"The club fully supports Paddy and completely respects his right to defend these allegations and allow all the relevant matters to be fully and properly ventilated during the court proceedings," Thomas said.
"We eagerly await the resolution of these allegations in a court of law and do not intend to engage in any trial by media, or discuss any of the evidence."
Power coach Ken Hinkley was far from thrilled that the football world was now focused on Ryder for the wrong reasons.
"Without commenting on Paddy specifically, I get disappointed that they're in those environments that shouldn't be, and they understand the risks that go with that," he told 5AA.
"Any of our players that put themselves in that spot disappoints us all and it disappoints them I'm sure.
"Overall I think we have a really good group and more often than not, they're out there doing the right thing in the community and not doing the wrong thing, so I'm really proud of that."