The port adelaide coach will take charge of his first AFL match on Sunday, with Josh Carr saying he is excited for the unknown as Port Adelaide finalises a tight Round 1 team and midfield coach Stuart Dew flags several selection dilemmas.
Port Adelaide Coach Embraces Debut: “Let’s Get Stuck Into It”
Josh Carr said, “Let’s get stuck into it, ” describing excitement about the year and the unknown that comes with his first week-to-week role as senior coach. He will coach a premiership match for the first time on Sunday when the club meets North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.
Carr highlighted that he had not previously been in the senior chair on a week-to-week basis and said he felt prepared and confident in the club’s progress during the pre-season. He also cautioned about information overload for players when introducing a new program, noting coaches must balance teaching with practical load.
Carr’s rise to the role followed an internal pathway: he began as an assistant at the club in 2011, moved to SANFL head coaching in 2016, returned to the AFL as an assistant in 2019, and came back to Alberton for the 2023 season. His arrival as head coach came after he was announced as his predecessor’s successor in February last year.
Difficult Picks: Dew On Round 1 Selection, Lukosius, Lord And Ratugolea
Midfield coach Stuart Dew said the selection table ran long this week, with multiple players putting their hands up for the AFL side. Dew confirmed forward Jack Lukosius was “obviously close” to being in the 23 for Round 1 but added the coaching group wanted to set him up for the whole year, citing a need for greater consistency in recent weeks.
Dew stressed the club culture expectation that “no one’s got their position safe” and that internal pressure from consistent performances is the healthiest selection driver. On the young ruck/forward Ollie Lord, Dew said he “competes really well” and presents strongly at the ball, noting aggression in the ruck and centre bounce.
When discussing the choice to select Ratugolea over Ramm, Dew said the conversation balanced development phases against immediate performance. He noted Rammy is at the start of his journey and praised Esava Ratugolea for putting a plan in place and executing it over recent weeks to build confidence and reward consistent work on the track.
Expectations From Supporters And The Early Season Outlook
Supporters in South Australia expect improvement under the new coach. Port Adelaide will travel into enemy territory for the season opener against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon, and the Port Adelaide Cheer Squad president described the early draw as reasonably favourable with a new coach in place.
The cheer squad leader said those factors underpin hopes for a return to form and expectations of at least a top-eight finish, with ambitions of a top-four finish if the team builds on pre-season gains. The optimism among supporters adds another lens to selection conversations as the coaching group prepares its Round 1 lineup.
With match committee debates described as lengthy and the playing list showing both established performers and emerging talent, the immediate focus for the port adelaide coach and his staff is settling the best 23 for the season opener while managing player development and consistency for the months ahead.
