Port Adelaide legend Warren Tredrea’s bizarre reasoning why he doesn’t have to pay ex-employer’s legal bill
A Port Adelaide club great has denied being a sovereign citizen after telling the Federal Court he cannot pay legal costs because he doesn’t believe in Australian legal tender — and would have to repay former employer Channel Nine in precious metal.
On Tuesday, Warren Tredrea also told the court he had used an IOU note to clear his debts after being ordered to pay legal costs from his failed appeal in November 2024.
WATCH ABOVE: Port Adelaide great doesn’t believe in Australian legal tender.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Tredrea claimed there isn’t enough gold or silver to cover Nine’s legal costs, so he issued the IOU to settle the debt.
He said he wrote a promissory note — commonly known as an IOU — to Nine regarding the legal costs owed, but insisted the debt is “discharged” because Nine did not respond to his request.
A promissory note is a written, signed promise by one party to pay a specific sum of money to another, either on demand or at a future date.
If correctly drafted and executed, a promissory note is generally legally binding under Australian law.
For enforceability, it must be in writing, signed, identify both parties, state the amount owed, and include an unconditional promise to pay.
Nine did not accept the promissory note as valid payment.
In 2021, Tredrea was sacked as a Nine sports presenter in Adelaide. He later took the network to court, seeking almost $6 million in lost wages over alleged unlawful dismissal.
Nine argued he was dismissed due to poor performance, and his case was dismissed.
Tredrea was initially spared from paying Nine’s legal costs from the 2021 suit, but in 2024 he was ordered to cover all of Nine’s costs from his failed appeal.
The former AFL great, who is now representing himself, stated in court documents that he is a “private man” and not a “legal person, citizen or resident” — but denied being a sovereign citizen.
A sovereign citizen is someone who believes they are not subject to the laws and authority of the government under which they live.
Outside court on Tuesday, Tredrea told reporters that, contrary to what was stated in court documents, he is a citizen and claims Nine has been paid.
Port Adelaide has declined to comment.
“The club won’t be making any official statement as it considers this to be a private matter between Mr Tredrea and the Federal Court,” a spokesperson said.
Both Tredrea and Nine will return to court at a later date.
Originally published on 7NEWS
