PORT ADELAIDE has advised John Butcher, Kane Mitchell and Sam Colquhoun their contracts will not be renewed for 2017.
And the contract of Garry Hocking will not be renewed.
It follows last Thursday’s announcement that Jay Schulz would also depart the club at the end of the season.
The three players will be officially delisted as part of the Power’s first list lodgement on October 31.
“It’s a difficult time of year when the club needs to make decisions for its short and long term future regarding our football structure,” Port Adelaide’s general manager of football Chris Davies told portadelaidefc.com.au.
“John, Kane and Sam have given great service to our club and we wish them all the best with their futures.
“And Garry’s tenure at the club has been the most significant of our coaching panel.
“We thank him for his work since 2010 as a development, line coach and Magpies coach for two seasons.”
Davies forecast the potential for further change on the back of the Power’s 2016 campaign.
“We are reviewing the footy program on the back of the season at the moment, and will potentially make further changes ahead of the draft and trade period,” he said.
New role for Hart
Former director of coaching Shaun Hart has been assigned to the newly-formed position of director of academies.
In that role Hart will be responsible for the set up and supervision of Port Adelaide’s next generation academy programs.
“The club will be building its new Aboriginal, multicultural and female football academies from 2017 and Shaun will be charged with managing that process,” Davies said.
“He’ll be drawing on his experience in the director of coaching role to establish elite coaching programs and identify the best coaching talent for our new academies.”
Among other football changes, the club has confirmed first-year strength and conditioning coach Mladen Jovanovic will not continue in 2017 after returning home for family reasons.
Summary of departures
John Butcher arrived at Port Adelaide in 2010 from Gippsland Power and has played 31 games and kicked 41 goals since debuting at the end of 2011.
Kane Mitchell was selected by the Power in the 2013 rookie draft and played 35 games and kicked 19 goals since his debut in 2013.
Sam Colquhoun came to Alberton via the 2013 pre-season draft and played 16 games and kicked three goals since his debut.
Garry Hocking joined Port Adelaide as a development coach in 2010, before stepping up to a role as forwards coach. He took on the caretaker coaching role of the Power for four games in 2012 and was later appointed coach of the Magpies in the SANFL.
Mladen Jovanovich joined Port Adelaide as a strength and conditioning coach for the 2016 season.
