Port Adelaide senior coach Josh Carr says he’s confident in his coaching group and players as he prepares to take the helm for the first time in the season opener this Sunday at Marvel Stadium. 

Speaking to the media ahead of the main training session of the week, Carr discussed selection decisions, the development of several young players, and his confidence in the group heading into the season opener.  

He also addressed managing Jason Horne-Francis’ return to full game time and his expected role in the side, as well as how the coaching group reviewed the AAMI Community Series clash against West Coast. 

Carr on selection for Round 1 
“We’ve got the main session today. We're getting pretty close to the pointy end with our selection. We’ll get through this main session, come off the track and finalise it.” 

Carr on Jack Watkins 
“Well, he's had a really good pre-season, so he's definitely put his best foot forward to give himself an opportunity. We know what he’s going to bring. 

“(His improvement) hasn’t surprised me, because he's just consistent in the way he goes about his footy and his training and effort. So, to be in the position right now to be a possible to play this week, it's not a surprise.” 

Carr on Jack Lukosius 
“He’s had a great couple of weeks, Luko. He had a really good session last Saturday. He's definitely made it tough when it comes to selection and making that call. And as I said, we’ll have some more clarity about that after today’s session. It's probably continuity and consistency now (that he needs) after a bit of an interrupted last month.” 

Carr on Jack Whitlock 
“He's had a great pre-season for a young guy off the back of his first year, playing some footy at the back end of the year. We saw improvement from start to finish, and that's been no different this pre-season. What it looked like a month ago with Whitters to what it looks like now, he's had a really positive pre-season. I think we’ve got enough options with our second ruck without playing a second ruck. We’ll only pick the one. As coaches, we think (Dante’s) performed and will play this week.” 

Carr on Harrison Ramm 
“Like the other young boys, he's had a great pre-season. We’ve seen his improvement from start to finish. He's had some battles like obviously Thilthorpe in that Adelaide game, and I thought he had a really positive game against West Coast. So again, when it comes to selection and competition for spots, there seems to be competition for every spot, which is a great result at the end of pre-season.” 

Carr on the young players in the group 
“For me it's about development, and development isn't always at AFL level. Guys can develop in the Maggies, as long as they’ve got an understanding and clarity around what that looks like for them and where their improvement comes from. So whether Rammy plays this weekend or not, he's improved from start to finish, and I know what his attitude is. He's got a great attitude towards working on his game. And as I said, whether he's picked this weekend or not, I know that he's got the right mindset to get better.” 

Carr on the new ruck rules 
“I think the rules suit Dante. He's a jumping ruckman, and he's an aggressive jumping ruckman. He gets around the ground. And Sweety as well, they've had a great battle over the pre-season, and it is line ball between the two of them. And Dante's been in the team, obviously, the last month, and he gets the first nod. But we're going to need every player on our list this year to have a good year and to improve and get better. So just because a player misses out this week, it doesn't mean they don't make us better in the coming weeks.” 

Carr on his feelings going into Round 1 
“I'm feeling pretty good at the moment. You get a bit edgy at times, but really confident in us as a football club. I'm really confident in the coaches and the players around me. It's not just about me, it's about us as a footy club. So I'm really confident in the work that we've done. When we run out on Sunday, I might have a bit of edginess about me, but that’s no different to any other time.” 

Carr on North Melbourne 
“They’ve got some talent through their team. Their front six - Curtis, Larkey, Darling - guys that can kick goals. Their midfielders are probably around their strength in the contest. They've been quite good in the clearance numbers, and they’re probably improving their efficiency away from that. So we know what we're dealing with, and we know that they had a good performance against Collingwood, tough in the contest. I know the way Clarko prepares his team, so it's going to be a good challenge on Sunday.” 

Carr on Jason Horne-Francis 
“We managed Hornet’s game time through the game over the four quarters last game against West Coast, and that'll be similar this week - probably a bit more game time. But he's tracking nicely and I'm confident that if we've got everyone fit on the bench, then we can manage that.” 

“Hornet’s played more forward time over the pre-season, and that won't change. It doesn't mean he, as you would have seen against West Coast, he goes into the centre bounce and spends a bit of time as a midfielder. It depends on what the game needs. And if you need something a little bit different, then Hornet will either be forward or go on ball. But I'd say he'd be more likely to start forward.” 

“I’ve spoken to him a little bit (about facing his old side). He's prepared for it. He's matured as an individual over the last few years, and he's had a bit of time to think about his first game in Melbourne. He is going into his fourth year now with us, so it's been a while since he's played there. And obviously he’s had to play against North Melbourne in that time. So I think he's excited at the same time. I think it always brings a bit of excitement when you know what the opposition crowd might bring.” 

Carr on how the coaches reviewed the AAMI Community Series win against West Coast 
“We had some really clear focuses, and it wasn't about West Coast, it was about us. And obviously we executed that in that game. It didn't mean that there weren't things that we didn't review. We had 33 front half turnovers; we turned the ball over. So there's improvement in our game that's needed, and we’re going to keep chipping away at that.” 

Carr on where he’ll be coaching from 
“I'll be down on the bench mostly, but that doesn't mean that at times I won't be up in the box. It's probably how I've always done it. When I was coaching at North Adelaide I was down on the bench, and I feel comfortable being down there. I also feel comfortable with what's up in the box, with the assistant coaches and how they work together, and the clarity that they bring for me when I'm down on the bench. I’ve got all the confidence in the world in our group.”