Port Adelaide coach-in-waiting Josh Carr is steadfast his role under Ken Hinkley remains clear despite the club copping a hammering for their round-one capitulation.
Carr will take over from Hinkley as the Power's head coach at the end of a season which started with a horror 91-point loss to Collingwood.
The largest defeat in Hinkley's 13 seasons in charge prompted some critics to question Port's coaching succession plan announced last month.
But long-time assistant coach Carr points out: imagine the commentary if the plan hadn't been detailed.
"You can look at all aspects of that and think about if it's not announced, what that looks like, and what it has been in previous years," Carr told reporters on Friday.
"I have probably been asked a lot more questions in previous years than what I have been asked this year so there's always a distraction, no matter what.
"You guys (media) have a job to do which is important and you have got to dig and make news and ... do whatever you have to do."
As the Power prepare to host Richmond on Saturday at Adelaide Oval, Carr said he and Hinkley had complete clarity.
"I'm really comfortable with understanding what my role is and what our role is at this footy club and where we're at," he said.
"When there is noise outside, it doesn't bother me. It doesn't bother anyone internally because we understand what our jobs are.
"It's just part of the job ... you have got to wear it sometimes. That's OK, I am not afraid of that."
And nor did he have to lift Hinkley's spirits in the wake of the mauling from the Magpies at the MCG.
"I didn't need to lift Ken up at all," Carr said.
"He's a big boy. He has dealt with a lot of this previously and that's the job as coaches that we've got."
Carr said the club was solely focused on generating an on-field response against a Tigers outfit buoyed by their season-opening upset of Carlton.
The Power made only one selection change, axing Jeremy Finlayson and calling up 18-year-old midfielder Christian Moraes for his AFL debut.
But Carr denied Finlayson, dumped following a poor showing in defence after being switched from his customary attacking role, was a fall guy.
"There was aspects of his game last week that we weren't happy with - Jezza knows what they are, he's aware of it; I don't think I need to make that public," Carr said.
"The accountability aspect is all over the ground. We're not highlighting one person just because he has been omitted from the team."
Richmond replaced suspended Tom Lynch and omitted Tyler Sonsie with Kaleb Smith and debutant Liam Fawcett.
