Despite a long-standing tradition of rivalry between Australian football and rugby league, the AFL have backed Port Adelaide's decision to align themselves with NRL club Penrith.
Fairfax Media revealed on Thursday that Port and the Panthers had formed an informal alliance over the past few months that will lead to the clubs sharing information, skills and knowledge to provide benefits both on and off the field.
While the AFL and NRL were previously unaware of the private negotiations between the clubs, the AFL has leapt to support the newly forged marriage between the cross-code rivals.
Fact-finding mission: Penrith coach Ivan Cleary will tour Port Adelaide's set-up.
Fact-finding mission: Penrith coach Ivan Cleary will tour Port Adelaide's set-up. Photo: Getty Images
"The AFL has no concerns with Port Adelaide having an information-sharing exchange between senior staff at their club and Penrith, both for football staff and administrative staff," AFL spokesperson Patrick Keane said.
"Over the last decade, most of our clubs have sought to travel widely to see what they can learn from other sports that may be applicable to our competition, be that in player development, training programs or employee development off field for those working in administration.
"If the two clubs here are able to benefit from a relationship, that can only further strengthen Port Adelaide as a key part of our competition in South Australia and can hopefully also provide the same benefit for Penrith in the NRL."
Port Adelaide chairman and Sunrise TV host David Koch, who has a lot of admiration for high-profile Penrith general manager Phil Gould, visited the Panthers before Christmas.
In his presentation to the the club's executives, football staff and administration, Koch provided an insight into how Port have risen from mediocrity – both on and off the field – amid mounting financial pressures in the past three years.
While the partnership is in its infancy, both club's are discussing the possibility of implementing an employee exchange program, while Panthers coach Ivan Cleary and his coaching staff are scheduled to visit the Power's training facility next month.
Port Adelaide boss Keith Thomas, who has been in regular contact with Penrith football chief executive Justin Pascoe, is keen to gain an insight into the club's operations and how Panthers Group chief executive Warren Wilson helped the club recover from the brink of insolvency to become a profitable organisation in the space of three years.
"Something we routinely do is keep an eye on other organisations - both in sport and not in sport - to see whether they are doing things that could advantage us in some way," Thomas told Port's website.
"Penrith, incidentally, has also been looking at us and the progress we've made, and are interested in learning - particularly about our membership and other aspects of our business.
"We're currently exploring ways we might be able to share information, but right now there's certainly no partnership - nothing formal - we're really just finding out about each other."
Port Adelaide already have a relationship with the Melbourne Storm, focused largely on football more than off-field operations.
While Port and the Panthers are yet to formalise an arrangement, Thomas insists the club's connection with Penrith won't severe ties with Craig Bellamy's Storm.
"Generally, these things start off quite casually," Thomas said. "It's not an unusual practice and we're curious about other organisations who are doing good things, and Penrith have a similar recent history to ours. The Melbourne Storm relationship has been largely a football one, and a very valuable one.
"We don't think anything that happens with the Panthers should cut over anything we have with the Storm."
Fairfax Media contacted the NRL on Thursday but they declined to comment.
wasn't Penrith Australias number 1 sporting brand
oh sorry all that money comes from pokes from their leagues club that phil guld manage to con Packer in to lending him.
now the NRL club is sick of being a worthless unknown pile of crap, and want a fan base, so they turn to an AFL club
liar extraordinaire 
fucken old dinosaur
