Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson has penned an open letter to fans and members in response to the Power's poor start to the 2022 season, starting 0-3 for the first time since 2011.
Richardson urged fans to remain calm and to back in head coach Ken Hinkley, who is in his 10th season at the helm, guiding the team to back-to-back preliminary finals in the past two seasons, but without premiership success.
Alarm bells have started to ring around Alberton, given Port's past two losses have come against Hawthorn and Adelaide, who both finished in the bottom five last year, but Richardson implored the Port community to stick tight and have faith that the club can turn things around quickly.
"There's no hiding from the fact we haven't started the season as we would have liked, but good clubs remain calm, strong and united, and back in their people to do their jobs," Richardson stated.
"Football doesn’t always go to plan and clubs get challenged. In these moments, how you respond is critical.
"We’ll back Ken, the coaches, and the players, and provide them with the support they need.
"We have enormous faith and confidence in this group, and in their ability to get back to playing the football we know they’re capable of."
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Port ruckman Scott Lycett and the playing group have also thrown their support behind their head coach but claimed that he understands why fans are so frustrated with their recent performances.
"It is definitely hard, we hear the supporters, we understand them and we are on the same page," Lycett said.
"We’ve been hearing the noise and we understand but we will be looking to turn it around.
"The players are all in. we have his back, we have the backs of the supporters and our members and we are looking forward to a big game this week."
The club is under fierce scrutiny, given that they released their 'Chasing Greatness' strategic plan a year ago, with the goal of winning three premierships, have over 100,000 members and aims to eliminate $12 million worth of debt by 2025 also outlined in the plan.
"We understand that what’s needed is action, not just words. As a club, we embrace expectation and will keep pushing forward with utmost confidence in our people and belief in our goal.
"As challenging as our current situation might feel, our club has been challenged many times before. As we have always done, we’ll stick together, and work our way through this moment – and be better for it," Richardson said.
The Power's run doesn't get any easier over the next month, with games against reigning premiers Melbourne, up and coming Carlton as well as St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs, which will be a pivotal month to decide where Port are at in the 2022 season.
