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Forget tanking. Forget State of Origin’s possible return. Forget on-field vilification. The Port Adelaide Football Club is a mess. And its rectification needs the highest priority.
Right now, the club is on its knees. Its story is worsening with every passing day.
The end of the season can’t come quick enough for Port. After 21 rounds, it sits on the bottom of the AFL ladder with two wins from 19 games. However it’s been the way the club has disintegrated, both on and off the field, since its loss to Gold Coast in Round 5 that has many experts concerned.
Over the past fortnight, the Power have played deplorable footy. They’ve been outscored 54.32 to 8.5 and lost by an aggregate margin of 303 points. You can understand a developing team suffering the odd 70 or 80-point loss, but two consecutive inept losses over 130 points? Embarrassing.
Inevitably, Port Adelaide has recently been compared to Fitzroy, the proud AFL club that went bankrupt and left the competition in 1996. The link is a tad unfair, because, unlike the Lions, the Power are under debt control, have good facilities at Alberton Oval and are governed by a league that’s committed to having an 18-team competition.
Luckily, the Power’s future has been guaranteed for the next three years, with the AFL recently granting them a $9 million welfare package. They’ll be given $3 million a year until 2013 ahead of the club’s move to the redeveloped Adelaide Oval.
However, it’s far from the cure. More work is required.
Firstly, the Power must fix all administration issues.
It’s no secret Port Adelaide is in disarray off the field. It has no CEO and lacks funds, resources, structure and leadership. In a two-team town, it’s a horrible look.
Player retention now becomes crucial for Port. With Greater Western Sydney and Gold Coast to receive the majority of early draft picks over the next two years, it must hold onto its current group of quality young players, such as Jackson Trengove, Alipate Carlile, Hamish Hartlett and John Butcher.
However players need to take some responsibility for the club’s fall from grace too.
Before this season, the team was expected to set new benchmarks. Instead, it’s set new lows.
Chad Cornes, a legend of Port Adelaide, played his 239th and final match of his career against the Magpies in Round 20. His team was insipid, losing by 138 points.
For Cornes’ teammates to put in an effort like they did in his farewell match was embarrassing. It was an insult to the club, supporters and, most importantly, Cornes himself.
President Brett Duncanson, and the club in general, has come under scrutiny and forced to answer all the tough questions in recent times. But now is the time for senior members of the playing group, besides skipper Domenic Cassisi, to take a hit and feel the full brunt of the media scrutiny.
Despite being contracted until the end of 2013, Matthew Primus’ position as senior coach has rightly come under examination.
Yes, he’s a rookie coach. Yes, he’s inherited a poor list. But for a club to go backwards so quickly and dramatically is inconceivable.
The biggest criticism of Primus this season has been his handling of senior players. Danyle Pearce, Kane Cornes, Steven Salopek and Jacob Surjan were all dropped earlier in the year in favour of younger players. By the time those senior players were brought back into the team, they had no confidence.
You couldn’t fault Primus’ honesty after the 165-point loss to Hawthorn on Saturday. Looking broken and lonely in his post-game press conference, the former ruckman admitted ‘attitude is our biggest issue’, not talent. He also added he could understand if players wanted new opportunities at other clubs.
But those comments were too honest. Where’s the resolve? Where’s the leadership?
Even though 2011 has been Port Adelaide’s poorest season in its history, Primus is unlikely to be sacked at the end of the year. The club has no money and wouldn’t be able to afford a two-year salary payout.
However, if the team hasn’t improved by the end of next season, then club officials have every right to question whether Primus deserves another year at the helm.
Primus’ challenged over the coming off-season is to regenerate his players and improve morale. If he’s successful, not only will his job be safe, but the club’s immediate future will remain secure.
However Primus won’t be able to do it alone. He’ll need help from assistant coaches.
During a normal week, Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson has eight assistant coaches he can turn to for help. Primus only has four, one being Dean Laidely who is based in Melbourne and clearly doesn’t want to be affiliated with the club from next season onwards.
The Power need a revamped coaching panel. They need to recruit and surround Primus with quality footy teachers.
Money won’t fix Port Adelaide entirely, but leadership will.
Off field, key board members must allocate and spend the $9 million from the AFL wisely. On the field, senior players must step up and help Cassisi create a positive culture.
There is a glimmer of light at the end of the lengthy, dark tunnel.
The Power’s new stadium deal is their biggest saviour. More supporters are expected to attend games when the team moves from AAMI Stadium in the outer suburbs of Adelaide to the Adelaide Oval in the inner-city.
Understandably, a large portion of Port’s 35,000 members haven’t attended matches in 2011. However, going by the club’s glory years, Power fans watch their team when they’re up and firing. If the team unites over the coming years and improves, fans will flock back, particularly at the more accessible Adelaide Oval.
The operation to dig the Power out of this deep hole will be monumental. However with the support of the AFL and cooperation of other clubs, they can return to the strong and proud brand they were back in the early 2000’s.
Port Adelaide is an integral part of the AFL’s future. Right now, it must be the league’s number one priority.
The Roar would like to congratulate Ben on his win in the NAB Commentator competition. He’ll be calling the third quarter of the North Melbourne vs Fremantle clash on Saturday night 20th August on SEN Radio 1116AM
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