Wind things back to 2004

[Us against the rest]

Most supporters at every club think that the club always does the right thing and should generally be supported in their decision making.

David Koch has latched on to that and used it to his advantage to shame people for demanding more and redefined what success means at Port Adelaide in the process.

Someone should really write a book on how David Koch instilled a losing culture specifically to lower the pressure on him to succeed. He's a parasite.

Koch should stick to off field issues, something that he is good at but when it's football related he should keep his big mouth shut.
When any football club is in a good position to win a preliminary final and continue to lose should always be considered a failure, especially when it's happened before.

To be a strong club and send the right message after failures there has to be consequences or no lessons will learnt.

 

[Sewer de Lance]

• The supporter base was completely different, many being birthed out of the 70,80,90s golden era.
• Choco would have dived on a live hand grenade for the club, while Ken would likely throw it into our cheer squad
• Although Primus was injured, he was a true players Captain, had a heart of a lion & hated losing.
• Our back 6 was superb, lightyears ahead of anything we’ve since managed to put on the park.
• the team had grit & was filled with natural competitors like Wilbur, Carr, Pickett, Hardwick, Gav, Wakelin etc.

It was a remarkable achievement to overcome one of the greatest football dynasties of all time in the Lions, man I miss those days.

 

[Rexie J]

• The supporter base was completely different, many being birthed out of the 70,80,90s golden era.
• Choco would have dived on a live hand grenade for the club, while Ken would likely throw it into our cheer squad
• Although Primus was injured, he was a true players Captain, had a heart of a lion & hated losing.
• Our back 6 was superb, lightyears ahead of anything we’ve since managed to put on the park.
• the team had grit & was filled with natural competitors like Wilbur, Carr, Pickett, Hardwick, Gav, Wakelin etc.

It was a remarkable achievement to overcome one of the greatest football dynasties of all time in the Lions, man I miss those days.

And a few of us from the 50's and 60's.

Those were the days as you also noted, were when teams feared playing Port Adelaide. Now there would not be a team in the AFL that fears playing Port. Most probably tick a win when looking at the program.

 

[just_kick_it]

Ken Hinkley is demonstrably the clearcut most mediocre long term coach of all time. He's comfortably the worst coach to ever have been employed for more than 10 seasons.

We'd have enough ammo to be angry if we were St Kilda supporters, but when you also consider that we had a strong winning culture up until 20 years ago or so, I think generally our supporters aren't angry enough.

I worked out a couple of weeks ago that during KH's reign Ports average finishing position before scary finals is 6th but that's success according to Koch.

 

[240volt]

And a few of us from the 50's and 60's.

Those were the days as you also noted, were when teams feared playing Port Adelaide. Now there would not be a team in the AFL that fears playing Port. Most probably tick a win when looking at the program.

I’m from your era, it’s chalk and cheese how our club is now.
Also the mentality of the players is completely different, winning was everything because the only other option was losing.
Now days after the game everyone kisses everyone and they drive off in there flash cars and go home to there beachside houses.
All we have now is memories of how it used to be.

 

[Rexie J]

I’m from your era, it’s chalk and cheese how our club is now.
Also the mentality of the players is completely different, winning was everything because the only other option was losing.
Now days after the game everyone kisses everyone and they drive off in there flash cars and go home to there beachside houses.
All we have now is memories of how it used to be.

Sadly so very true.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Koch should stick to off field issues, something that he is good at but when it's football related he should keep his big mouth shut.
When any football club is in a good position to win a preliminary final and continue to lose should always be considered a failure, especially when it's happened before.

To be a strong club and send the right message after failures there has to be consequences or no lessons will learnt.

I actually think the opposite might be true with Koch.

I think he places too much trust in the footy department to the point where he's changed his perspective to allow them to basically do whatever they want. If Chris Davies and Cos Cardone tell Koch something is happening, he's not strong enough to stand up to it.

Remember Koch having a crack at the players in the 2017 postseason where Boak then had a sook about it? He was on the right track there, he needed to stand firm instead of chickening out. I don't believe for a second that Koch hasn't had doubts over the years but my guess is that Davies tells him to get out of footy decision making and Koch falls in line.

This is the problem with not having clearly defined goals more than "finish in the top half most of the time". What are they measuring against internally? In January 2015, what did they believe success looked like? Did that change? Why?

 

[Interstater]

Can I mention that I'm the one vote but I didn't read the answers correctly and picked the wrong one and would like to change it to fit in with everyone.

You can now change your vote mate.

Compare 2004 to 2025.
How did the players feel about playing in a grand final for Port Adelaide?
Why is it so different?

I really want Choco back at this club in some sort of senior advisor role in 2026.
The club needs more Alberton and less showpony.
Every single assistant's job must be earned for 2026.

Also, in which year were the majority of board members last voted for by the people that buy memberships?
How has Port gone since then?
The AFL hobbles MUST be removed.

I do not want our next president to have a day job working for a high profile Collingwood ex-president.
That locks in a decade of subservient garbage.
Our next president cannot be a Smithers, it has to be a Big Bob type.

 

[Donuts_]

There's optimism, pessimism, but now I think a certain amount of apathy is creeping in with some supporters.

Correct. It's a protection mechanism built off knowing where the emotional roller-coaster leads in September. I struggled to raise any excitement for last year's prelim, which is sad.

Even the thought of Carr doesn't evoke much emotional response from me. Life without Ken isn't reality, I lack trust in the club to make the right decisions with leadership and there is a question mark over how much responsibility he bears over a midfield that continues to go missing in finals.

I can't see how Carr is the silver bullet some are hoping he is. Regardless I will be doing my best to stay off any hype train that may materialise in 2026. The protection mechanism.

My two cents but I suspect I'm not alone.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

You can now change your vote mate.

Compare 2004 to 2025.
How did the players feel about playing in a grand final for Port Adelaide?
Why is it so different?

Its messaging from the top down.

If your club chairman and head coach are saying things like "little club from Alberton", "finals are scary" and "we might have made a grand final if Sydney didn't show up"... that sort of loser talk infiltrates every part of the club.

 

[PAFC66]

We've basically looked at the crows and gone , " what makes them financially successful" and completely morphed into them
Our fans are even the same now
We have a few more fans and cash but ultimately losers just happy to exist.

 

[Duck Farmer]

This is the problem with not having clearly defined goals more than "finish in the top half most of the time". What are they measuring against internally? In January 2015, what did they believe success looked like? Did that change? Why?

Don't let anyone tell you that 2024 wasn't a success.

 

[El_Scorcho]

Don't let anyone tell you that 2024 wasn't a success.

The real killer here is, even if only making finals was a success, why did Ken Hinkley still have a job in 2020 when he'd missed finals 4 of the last 5 seasons and in the season he did make it, was immediately bundled out by 8th.

I know the answer (Koch is a wimp, finances after the big extension) but still. They can't even be internally consistent.