• Matthew Primus declines offer to coach out the season
• Garry Hocking appointed caretaker coach
• Tearful club president Brett Duncanson to stand down
• AFL offers support as Power begin the search for replacements

MATTHEW Primus has been replaced as Port Adelaide coach, with former Geelong captain Garry Hocking appointed for the four matches remaining in 2012.

As well, an emotional club president Brett Duncanson has announced he will stand down as president in December.

Primus was offered the chance to coach out the season after being told he would not be coach next season, but declined.

Speaking after the club confirmed his departure, he said he was disappointed, but he understood how 'ruthless' the football industry was.

"I was given the offer to coach the next four games but I don't think I'd have the passion or the substance to coach the playing group, so therefore I'll finish up now," Primus said.

"The club has given me a huge amount as a player, a captain and as a coach of this great football club.

"I'll maintain this club is on an exciting journey full of promise and there's a group of players here that are willing to be good players and want to be a lot better than what they are now, and although I won't be here to grow with them on that journey until they are a very good team, there's going to be some enormous challenges.

"If they stick fat there's going to be some exciting times for them.

"It was a dream come true to coach this team … I wanted to coach this team for another 10 years if I could."

» In the frame: the 12 leading candidates to replace Primus at Alberton

Primus said he did not feel let down by the players.

"I just spoke to them and didn't say too much, I couldn't hold the emotion in to an extent, but they understand how ruthless the industry is.

"It's a high-performance industry and you have to perform at a certain level week-in week-out and can't take your foot off the accelerator."

He said he wanted to remain in football, but had no immediate plans.

» Primus exit triggers new speculation about Boak move

Port Adelaide CEO Keith Thomas denied at a media conference that the club was in crisis.

"I can categorically tell you nothing can be further from the truth; what's happening is that cool, calculating, well-informed decisions are being made to ensure the success of the club going forward," he said.

"It's not a crisis, nor is everything broken at Port Adelaide - far from it. The football club is filled with talented, passionate people who are doing a mighty job in moving us forward."

» Click here to watch Monday's media conference

Thomas said he had "the utmost admiration for Matthew Primus as a man, as a leader of this club and as a competitor and all I'll say is that during these very, very tough discussions he's handled himself impeccably as you'd expect".

Acting AFL Chief Executive Gill McLachlan paid tribute to Duncanson and Primus, praising their commitment to returning the Power to a position of financial security and on-field strength.
 
"Brett and Matthew have always had the best interests of the Port Adelaide Football Club at the heart of their every action and this has no doubt been a difficult period for them both, and for the wider club," McLachlan said.

McLachlan said the AFL would provide any support and advice the Power required.

The AFL has agreed a total $9m grant to Port Adelaide over three years as part of an agreement with the SA Football Commission.

Duncanson said that Primus would always have "a special place" in the hearts of all Port Adelaide people.

He said Primus had been given all possible support in the football department, but admitted that the Power was not one of the League's wealthiest clubs.

"I believe to continue as president of this club does not give this club the clear air it needs to attract the best possible people it needs to the club," Duncanson said.

"The focus needs to come off the board and on getting the best possible senior coach to this club.
 
"To continue as president of this football club would lead to constant speculation about its leadership and would not be in the best interests of the club."

The Power's humiliating 34-point loss to Greater Western Sydney at Skoda Stadium on Saturday was the tipping point for Primus, 37, who described the loss as the club's lowest point.

Thomas said, however, that the decision not to offer Primus a third year as coach was not "a knee-jerk reaction" to the loss to the Giants.

Rather, there was concern at the team's inability to remain highly competitive in games.


Matthew Primus (r) stands with Power players during Port Adelaide's 58-point loss to the Crows in round 15. Picture: AFL Media

Primus took over as coach when Mark Williams was sacked with seven matches remaining in 2010, and won five matches that season.??

He was appointed on a two-year contract at the end of 2010, but Port Adelaide had a dismal season in 2011, winning only three matches.??

The Power became the first team to lose to expansion club Gold Coast last season as it fell to second last on the ladder.??

This year it sits 14th with a 5-13 record.??Primus played 137 matches for Port Adelaide from 1997-2005 after one season with Fitzroy.

He missed the 2004 premiership victory because of injury.??

Hocking is Port Adelaide's longest serving assistant coach, having joined the club in 2010 after coaching the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup.