Port Adelaide should look to former Fremantle coach Mark Harvey to fill the senior coaching role at Alberton. Now a senior assistant at the Brisbane Lions, Harvey could be the ideal candidate to replace Matthew Primus.
Harvey was the senior coach at Fremantle for four seasons after being displaced, while still under contract, in controversial circumstances in September last year when the Dockers poached Ross Lyon from St. Kilda.
Harvey took over as Dockers coach from Chris Connolly in 2007 and was at the helm in 98 games with a 39-58 record.
After only winning a combined 12 games in 2008 and 2009, Harvey lead the Dockers to 13 wins in 2010 and their first finals appearance since 2006.
An injury plagued 2011 derailed Fremantle’s season, winning only nine games and finishing eleventh.
He was then sacked as Dockers coach when the club pounced on Ross Lyon who had an out clause in his contract with St. Kilda.
Harvey, an Essendon premiership player and All Australian, was a long-time assistant coach to Kevin Sheedy at the Bombers and was once considered the most likely assistant to get a senior role.
He was a key architect in helping the Bombers excel during the 2000 season, which resulted in a premiership victory over Melbourne.
Speculation during his tenure at Essendon was that Harvey was waiting for Sheedy to retire so he could take the reins. When that didn’t eventuate, Harvey joined Fremantle as an assistant coach in 2006 helping the club reach its most successful finals series to date.
With his time at Fremantle unexpectedly cut short, Harvey did not get the chance to fulfil his potential as senior coach. The vacancy at Port Adelaide could provide that opportunity.
The struggling Power would benefit from having an experienced coach take over as opposed to first time coach from the assistant ranks.
Former Sydney and Western Bulldogs coach and current Collingwood strategist Rodney Eade leads the early race for the job.
Eade, who took the Western Bulldogs to three consecutive preliminary finals appearances, has considerably more experience than Harvey. He was ousted from the Bulldogs last year after failing to take them to a grand final before their premiership window shut.
Harvey has proved that he can coach at the highest level and deserves another opportunity to coach an AFL team. Time will tell if Port Adelaide feel the same way.
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