The 10 new roles and fresh faces that will 'make the Power better'

NEW PORT Adelaide coach Josh Carr is smart enough to know he may not be the smartest man in the room.

"There's a licence for everyone in this building to explore and make everything better," Carr said at his AFL club's Alberton headquarters.

"And in the end, whoever has got the best ideas, we make that work."

Carr assembled Port's finalised off-field brigade last week. And they didn't talk footy.

Port's fresh era starts with a 10-strong coaching panel, headed by Carr, plus a new football manager, Ben Rutten, and a new fitness boss.

Of the dozen, only two were in same role at Alberton in the 2025 season.

"I have a pretty good idea on the people that we're bringing in," Carr said, having replaced 13-season coach Ken Hinkley.

"I don't think it's going to be a huge task in bringing us together.

"Because I know, number one, they're all selfless in their approach to their coaching and they want to get better and they want to do what is best for the team.

"Last week we spent a lot of time about connecting as a coaching group. We spent no time on football.

"It was all about getting to know each other. I feel like I have been with these people for not two weeks, but for a lot longer.

"We have got a new leadership consultant who is working with the players and coaches, so Nick (Haywood) came in and spent a few days with us last week and we finished off with a round of par-3 golf at North Adelaide on Thursday."

Carr has two former AFL head coaches among his off-field support staff: Rutten and Stuart Dew.

Other fresh faces have coached teams at state league levels in their own right: Andy Collins (director of coaching) and new assistant coaches Darren Reeves, Hamish Hartlett and Jacob Surjan.

"We have got a number of senior heads in the group that have shared the load," Carr said.

The 45-year-old was grateful for the Port hierarchy's backing of the revamp.

"Everyone has chipped in and worked really hard to get us to the start of preseason with a really good group," Carr said.

"There's a lot of excitement around the new coaches that we have got in.

"I have had a number of relationships with a lot of them, there's a couple that I never worked with, but a couple that I obviously played football with in (ex-Fremantle assistant) Luke Webster and 'Dewy'.

"I coached (new development coach) Mitch Clisby, played with Jacob Surjan and a number of guys.

"I knew what I was bringing in to this football club and I know that they're going to make our club better."

The signing of Rutten, who coached Essendon and had two stints as an assistant at Richmond, was the icing on the cake.

Rutten takes over as general manager of football with no experience in the role, but vast AFL expertise.

The 192cm Rutten, nicknamed 'Truck' for his solid build during his decorated playing career at Adelaide, towers over Carr by some 14cm.

"He's Arnold Schwarzenegger. I'm Danny DeVito. And we're just succession plan twins," Carr joked.

Carr's light-hearted remark touched on what some pundits described as a joke: Port's succession plan from Hinkley to Carr, announced last February.

The Power then spluttered to 13th spot. While copping a horror stretch of injuries, some blamed the succession plan.

"We knew that if things didn't start well, everyone would probably be pointing the finger towards the succession plan," Carr said.

"But in the end, what we did, we stayed strong."

Carr on Monday will oversee his first official training as Port's head coach when players with one-to-four years of experience return.

"We have got fresh eyes on the group, they get an opportunity with a clean slate," he said.

"They got drafted for a reason, they have all got talent. I want to see them bring their best."

Carr vowed to imprint his own style on a club that under Hinkley contested finals in seven of 13 years without reaching a grand final.

"There's growth in all areas of our game," said Carr, a member of Port's only premiership team in 2004.

"Defensively I feel that we have to tighten up. If you look at premiership teams, defensively they're always really strong.

"Does that mean we're just going to be a defensive team? Not at all.

"The contest is important – we haven't been great in the contest in the last couple of years, but I think there's a lot of growth that can be taken there.

"And then ball movement wise, I am probably one that has a bit more balance in the way that we play.

"There has got to be more than one avenue towards goals.

"We are going to have to score off the turnover but at the same time, if we have got to take the contest, we have got to take it."

PORT ADELAIDE'S FRESH ERA

Josh Carr (senior coach) *

Andy Collins (director of coaching) *

Stuart Dew (senior assistant coach/midfield) *

Luke Webster (assistant coach/defenders) *

Darren Reeves (assistant coach/forwards) *

Hamish Hartlett (assistant coach/contest, stoppage, opposition) *

Matthew Lobbe (head of development)

Mitch Clisby (development coach/forwards) *

Cam Sutcliffe (development coach/defenders)

Jacob Surjan (development coach/midfield, and SANFL coach) *

Ben Rutten (general manager of football) *

Tim Parham (director of athletic performance) *

* denotes new position and/or new to club

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