Matthew Primus will coach Port Adelaide for the remainder of the 2010 season.

Primus, 35, formally accepted the caretaker role on Sunday afternoon.

Primus will hold a media conference at Alberton at 10.15am on Monday, after he speaks to the playing group. The group will train from 11am.

Primus played 157 AFL games between 1996 and 2005 (20 with Fitzroy in 1996; 137 with Port Adelaide 1997-2005). A dual All-Australian, he captained Port Adelaide from 2001 to 2005.

Power Football Operations Manager Peter Rohde said Primus was very keen to tackle the task ahead and wanted the full-time job going forward.

"When I sat with him today I was very keen to make the point to him that he will not be judged on his win-loss record (over the next seven weeks)," Rohde said.

"He has a great challenge because our form has not been great in recent weeks and he is taking over a side that is in a long losing streak - and we want to plan for the future.

"There are some very tough decisions at selection in the upcoming weeks.

"There is no doubt the direction from the club is he needs to be thinking about the long-term future of the club and not the short-term win-loss record.

"Certainly in the next few weeks it will be picking a team that will go on to represent Port Adelaide in the years to come.

"It does not mean a mass exit of players, but the emphasis must be on the long term."

Rohde said the club had spoken to senior assistant Dean Laidley, formerly the coach of North Melbourne, who had backed the chance for Primus to 'audition' for the full-time coaching role.

"We spoke to Dean about where his future lay," Rohde said. "Dean pretty much ruled himself out of it straight away.

"He has indicated to us he does not see himself as a senior AFL coach in the short or medium term and he is happy in the role that he is doing (assisting the senior coach)."