Port Adelaide’s history making 2004 AFL Premiership team has been inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame.
Announced on Thursday night at Port Adelaide’s Season Launch and Hall of Fame event in the William Magarey Room at Adelaide Oval, the 2004 side becomes just the third team and fourth group to be recognised.
In a special touch, along with the players who featured at the MCG in the 2004 Grand Final on the 25th of September, coach Mark Williams and captain Matthew Primus were also inducted.
Primus famously missed the game and much of the 2004 season after suffering a long-term knee injury but assisted in the coaching box as the season progressed.
The induction – 20 years after the momentous achievement – was a fitting recognition of the club’s maiden AFL premiership after just seven years in the competition.
Williams, Primus and acting captain Warren Tredrea accepted the honour on behalf of the team, and the coach said he was proud of the way the players, coaches, staff and board stuck together to achieve the ultimate goal after repeated setbacks in the years prior.
Tredrea praised his teammates, saying everyone played their role on the day.
“We’d been close but we hadn’t quite got there,” Tredrea said. “We’d learnt some lessons. We’d lost Matty (Primus) early in the year. We lost Josh Francou – two superstar All-Australian players – but the result with the group when you look back now and think it probably shouldn’t have happened, but you just dusted yourself off and got going.
“Everyone played their role and I think that was the key.”
Primus said he felt humbled to have been included despite the Grand Final day being one of the hardest of his life.
“I have great memories. I wish I would have had the shorts and socks on but it wasn’t to be and I’ve now got great lifelong friends,” he explained.
“I’m just grateful that the club could win it.
“It takes a lot of people to keep pushing the barrel in the right direction… you have great doctors, great fitness staff, great trainers.
“It was a hard day but a very special day and I have nothing but special memories of it and it’s great to see these guys up here getting recognition for it.”
Other groups previously elevated into Port Adelaide’s Hall of Fame include the 1950’s Australian record six-in-a-row premiership sides, the 1962, 63 and 65 premiership teams and the Board of Directors responsible for the club’s AFL entry.
Other groups previously elevated into Port Adelaide’s Hall of Fame include the 1950’s Australian record six-in-a-row premiership sides, the 1962, '63 and '65 premiership teams and the The Board of Directors and Chief Executive responsible for securing Port Adelaide’s AFL Licence.
2004 premiership stars Peter Burgoyne and Brendon Lade were also inducted as individuals earlier in the night, as were SANFL stars David Brown and Marx Kretschmer.
Port Adelaide - 2004 Premiership Team (as named)
FB: Michael Wilson 21, Darryl Wakelin 2, Matthew Bishop 19
HB: Damien Hardwick 11, Chad Cornes 35, Brett Montgomery 3
C: Josh Mahoney 22, Josh Carr 9, Kane Cornes 18
HF: Byron Pickett 15, Warren Tredrea (C) 16, Peter Burgoyne 7
FF: Toby Thurstans 28, Brendon Lade 5, Gavin Wanganeen 4
FOL: Dean Brogan 20, Roger James 38, Shaun Burgoyne 8
INT: Adam Kingsley 29, Domenic Cassisi 25, Stuart Dew 17, Jarrad Schofield 6
Coach: Mark Williams
Captain: Matthew Primus
