Primus swings the axe

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Port Adelaide interim coach Matthew Primus has swung the axe ahead of this weekend's Showdown against the Crows making six changes from the side that lost to the Western Bulldogs last week in Darwin.

Primus has recalled Travis Boak who was a last-minute withdrawal last week, while first-team regulars Matt Thomas and Alipate Carlile also come into the 22.

Robbie Gray returns after being sidelined since Round 8. The small forward took home the Showdown medal in the reverse fixture in Round 6 for his five-goal haul.

Daniel Stewart also earns a recall while Andrew Moore was a surprise inclusion with the 19-year-old playing only his second senior game after featuring in the Power's opening match against the Kangaroos.

Steven Salopek is out with a shoulder injury while Daniel Motlop received a two-match suspension after a striking charge.

Jay Nash, Jackson Trengove, Scott Harding and Jason Davenport have all been dropped.

Primus has stated he will be making as many changes as necessary to find the 22 players that it will take to earn the Power their first victory in nine matches.

"We're all about trying to find a level of consistency," he said.

"Why we're on the losing streak that we're on is because is because we haven't had players that have been able to consistently play at a high intensity for four quarters. We've been able to do it for patches."

"We'll make as many changes as we need until we get the right 22 that are able to compete for us and eventually get us over the line for a win. Whether it's the change we make this week or next week or the week after we'll soon find out over the next six weeks."

Port Adelaide's selected 22 again has no room for veteran Chad Cornes who's performance with Glenelg in the SANFL wasn't earth shattering.

"His form was okay on the weekend but we want to see a bit more from him," said Primus.

"It may be a little difficult playing on ball, we want to see him down back. He held himself pretty well and went back there with the right attitude and gave a pretty good effort."

"Anyone who had a game in the back six last week were able to hold up pretty well under extreme pressure so most of them will get another chance to prove themselves again."

Primus denied Cornes' career is winding up saying there is plenty of time for the 30-year-old to force his way back into the squad this season.

"He is certainly aware of that and he does have to get back into some form," he said.

"By no means has he been stamped away from this club at all. He's too good a player and he has too much pride to let that happen."

Primus said the two-game suspension of Motlop was timely, admitting the out of form goal sneak would have faced the axe this week and been sent to North Adelaide in the SANFL after a horrid couple of months.

"Mots probably would have been dropped," he said.

"We obviously tried to play him up the ground to find a little bit more of the ball. I can't question his effort, he's just in a bad run of form at the moment so we would have sent him back to North to find a bit more of the ball and some form and get some excitement back into his game."

"Unfortunately he's got two weeks out now to work on his fitness levels then go back to North and we'll take it from there."

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