This year: 10 wins, 12 losses, 82.38 percentage
This year's grade (A-F): C
Positives from this year: The Power started promisingly before suffering their record nine-game losing streak. Coach Mark Williams and the club parted ways before assistant and former captain Matthew Primus took over in a caretaker's role. The Power responded and won five of their last seven matches under Primus and looked like a new outfit. Primus gave more game time to the squad's young stars and it appeared to pay dividends with the emergence of Cameron Hitchock, Mitch Banner, Matthew Broadbent, Andrew Moore and Round 20 rising star nominee Jackson Trengove. Port also completed a hat-trick of Showdown wins over cross-town rival Adelaide.
Negatives from this year: The record nine-game losing streak eventually brought to an end Mark Williams' 15-year career with the club. The club's off-field financial difficulties compounded by regular, disappointing crowds at AAMI Stadium were also worrying sings for Port Adelaide in 2010. The Power also farewelled two of their premiership stars with Warren Tredrea calling time after an ankle injury in Round 7 and Josh Carr also drawing the curtain on his AFL career.
Likely departures: Warren Tredrea, Josh Carr (retired), Nathan Krakouer (Gold Coast), Steven Salopek (return to Victoria), Daniel Motlop (trade).
Next year:
Type of Players needed: The Power's priority would be to recruit an experienced ruckman to cover for Dean Brogan who is expected to play his last season in 2011. Port experimented with Justin Westhoff, Jackson Trengove and even Daniel Stewart as 'pinch-hitters' but Brogan largely shouldered the burden alone. Another seasoned ruckman would lessen the load on the premiership player. Another handy 'in and under', tough, hard-nosed midfielder would also help release the speedy, flashy players like David Rodan and Danyle Pearce.
Likely improvement: Richmond discard Jay Schulz turned into the Power's target man, finishing leading goal kicker for the season, highlighted by a seven-goal haul against North Melbourne in Round 13. He will be the leading forward in 2011 and should form solid partnerships with the likes of Stewart, Westhoff and Brett Ebert. Down the other end, Troy Chaplin stepped into the loose man in defense role, made famous by Chad Cornes, and made it his own in the absence of the veteran. Chaplin, who filled the void with less flash and more certainty, will hoping his team-mate returns to form next year and features in the Power's back half.
Finals next year? The Power showed plenty of promise under the revamped game-plan of Primus, winning five of the final seven games of the season. The Power will need to get more games into a fair chunk of the squad and it remains to be seen whether the vision of Primus transpires in 2011. Expect the Power to just fall short again next year with a view to make an impact in September in two years.