New Power coach backed to bring “hard edge”

A Port Adelaide hall of famer believes new coach Josh Carr has the perfect blend of knowledge to carry the club into the next generation.

Matthew Primus, inducted into the club's Hall of Fame earlier this month, played with the incoming coach during the first five seasons of Carr's career, and Carr was an assistant coach during Primus' time as Power coach, giving him an insight into the way he sees the game.

“He's got a great passion for the football club and knowing Josh he'll have a hard edge about how he coaches but he has a passion for making people better,” Primus told Zero Hanger.

“He'll have a clear vision for how they want to play. He'll be big on contest and defence; they'll be the rockbed. He'll be pretty big on the team stuff. 

“He's as good a team player as I played with and I'm sure that will shine through with his coaching. 

“He's a strong communicator. I think having a good coaching group underneath him will allow him to be really strong in that area because he certainly was as a player.”

Carr leads a new-look coaching group at the Power, with Stuart Dew, Andy Collins, Darren Reeves, Luke Webster, Mitch Clisby and Jacob Surjan all joining the club ahead of the season.

As well as 190 games for Port Adelaide, Carr played 83 times for Fremantle and has been an assistant under Primus and Hinkley, as well as stints at North Adelaide and the Dockers.

“He's got a great grounding to launch into his coaching and he knows the club inside-out. That's why it's exciting to see him at the club; he knows how it ticks but he also has experiences at other clubs he'll be able to bring in,” Primus added.

“I'm really excited by what Port could morph into in the next few years with him in charge.”