Matthew Primus

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

To paraphrase the introduction to old TV show The Naked City, there are many stories in finals history, these are a few. Every player and team strive for the ultimate prize of a premiership. Over the years, there have been many players whose teams get to the Finals or a Grand Final, but they are absent either through injury, poor form, suspension or simply being excluded from selection. These are some of those stories. [Ed. note: A "tragic" is someone for whom luck does not fall on their side and in this case, a perhaps once in a career opportunity is missed.]

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

The SANFL recently held the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Among the inductees were Port players Matthew Primus and Chad Cornes and Adelaide stars Tony Modra and Tyson Edwards. Primus and Cornes join former teammates Warren Tredrea and Josh Francou as Hall of Fame members.

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Sacked Port coach Matthew Primus has landed a new job as an assistant with the Gold Coast. Primus, who played 157 games with Fitzroy and Port before coaching Port for two seasons, will work with the ruck men and midfield as well as working to help develop the tall key position players. General Manager Marcus Ashcroft

Jamie Kloeden reporting for AFANA from Adelaide, South Australia

If ever there was a game that new boys Greater Western Sydney were going to be fired up for it was this Round 19 clash with Port Adelaide. Not only was it a chance for former Power players Chad Cornes, Jonathan Giles and Dean Brogan to show their old team what they are made of, and for former coach Mark Williams to get back at the team that let him go, but it was the 1000th appearance at VFL and AFL level for legendary coach Kevin Sheedy. Having played at Richmond and coached at Essendon, Sheedy now holds the reins at the newest team in the League and becomes the first man in history to achieve this milestone.

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

In Round 4 last year, Port Adelaide registered its first win of the season over arch-rival Adelaide. The win gave the club and Matthew Primus a respite. However the following week brought a shattering loss to Gold Coast. It wasn't the margin but the fact that it was the Suns' first AFL win in their debut season and somewhat of an embarrassment for Port. Like the Suns, Port went on to win just two more games last year and the blowtorch was well and truly heating up on the club and Coach Matthew Primus. While it could be pointed out that the Suns were in their debut season with many young players still adjusting to the rigors of the AFL, Port came under plenty of criticism. It has not been much different this year with some dismal performances and it all came crashing down for Primus after the Round 19 match against the Kevin Sheedy led Giants who registered their second AFL win.

Rick Browner reporting from Patersons Stadium, Subiaco, Western Australia

Two teams representing the port towns of Perth and Adelaide met in Round 7 with much on the line. Port Adelaide Power has a good record at the “House of Pain”, Patersons Stadium, winning more than they have lost there against the Fremantle Dockers. The Dockers believe they are finalists this year and would be expected to flex some muscle against their struggling opponents, if only to show the competition that they are genuine contenders. Giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands was back from injury for the Dockers, while Danyle Pearce had been dropped due to lack of intent for Power. David Rodan was back after having previously suffered the same fate.

Brook "Boris" Kilpatrick reporting for AFANA from AAMI Stadium, Adelaide

Overcast conditions and a steady drizzle greeted the visiting Richmond Tigers as they ran onto a pristine AAMI Stadium surface to face the Port Adelaide Power. With both teams sporting an equally precarious 1-4 record, the importance of a win and the prized four Premiership points could not be understated. The home fans were buoyed by a strong Port performance a week earlier at the same venue when a late fade out cost them a win against their arch rival Adelaide Crows, while Tiger fans could point to narrow losses against League pacesetters the West Coast Eagles and Geelong Cats as evidence of solid improvement.

Between the end of the NAB Cup series and the start of Round One on March 24, the AFL held the season launch in Sydney. In between the festivities, League officials met with club captains and coaches to discuss the new rules which were tried out in the preseason. One rule which was high on the agenda was the two substitute-two interchange player rule.

This is the second in a series of what Australian Rules football fans have to look forward to as the 2012 season approaches.

MORE SAINTS, LESS SINNERS

After a messy 2011 that featured player scandals, reputations on the line and a coach leaving for greener (some might say purple) pastures, the Saints have quietly ushered in a new era under incoming coach Scott Watters.

Port Adelaide traveled west to take on the in-form West Coast Eagles on a rare rainy day in Perth. Of late the Power have been anything but, looking unlikely to win a kick in a stampede. The Eagles had already trounced Port once this season in Round 2, but Port generally play well at Patersons Stadium and in Round 13, they gave the home side a scare or two.