Port Adelaide Coach Josh Carr and President David Koch Share Common Goals
Port Adelaide coach Josh Carr has expressed his full alignment with president David Koch, despite the challenging target of qualifying for the finals. The team’s performance has come under scrutiny after a surprising two-point loss to West Coast, who finished last year as wooden spooners. This defeat left the Power with a 1-2 record ahead of their upcoming match against winless Richmond at the MCG.
Koch recently emphasized that the club is rebooting rather than rebuilding, and he reaffirmed the importance of making the finals. This has placed significant pressure on Carr, who took over from Ken Hinkley at the end of the previous season. However, Carr remains confident and believes he has the full support of Koch.
“I know he’s really supportive of what we’re doing and the way we’re going about it,” Carr said on Friday. “I know we’re aligned and I know we’re aligned with the direction we’re going and really supportive. The one that comes up is about finals being a pass or not. We know what sort of club we are, and it wouldn’t matter if we had 23 18-year-olds running out there, our aim is always to play finals, and that’s the message we always sell.”
The introduction of the Wildcard finals round means that even teams finishing as low as 10th can still participate in the post-season. Carr feels this gives him the flexibility to explore the team’s list while still aiming for the finals.
“We’re exploring the list, there’s no doubt about it,” Carr said. “Now it’s not giving us an excuse to lose games of footy and just accept it. That’s not giving me a cop out either. I want to win games of footy and I want to win every week.”
Key Player Updates
Port Adelaide utility player Miles Bergman is set to return from an ankle injury, while small forward Mitch Zadow will make his AFL debut. Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines has also been recalled, just a week after returning from suspension via the SANFL.
“I thought it was important for him to get a game under his belt and come in and sort of knock down the door a bit,” Carr said. “At this stage of his career, I didn’t want him to do was come in and go, ‘oh shit’ and think that the game’s going a bit quick.”
Injury Challenges for the Tigers
The injury-hit Tigers (0-3) have faced several setbacks, including losses to Jasper Alger (knee), Harry Armstrong (foot), Noah Balta (hamstring), and Hugo Ralphsmith (knee) from their 60-point loss to Fremantle. However, Nathan Broad (calf) is set to return to the lineup.
