Coaching tension at Power

Port Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas maintains Power fans should stay confident in the process for finding a new coach despite board member Darryl Wakelin raising questions about it after Leon Cameron's move to GWS.

Hawthorn assistant Cameron appeared on the verge of signing on as the Power's new coach before news broke on Thursday that he had accepted a four-year offer from the Giants.

The news came as another blow for Port, who have not only had to deal with the tragic death of John McCarthy since the season finished, but have also had their players raided by several other clubs under the new free agency system.

In the hours since GWS snared Cameron's signature, it has been reported Port made another approach to Collingwood coaching director Rodney Eade, who has rejected the offer, and the club has subsequently been strongly linked to Gold Coast assistant Ken Hinkley.

But despite everything, chief executive Thomas maintained the recruitment process for finding a new coach would ultimately deliver Port the right man for the job.

"I'm really happy with how we're progressing with the other candidates," Thomas told the Port Adelaide website.

"All I would ask of our members is that they be confident that absolute due diligence is being done here and we will get a great candidate."

Thomas said the Power came within a whisker of snaring Cameron.

"I got a call this afternoon confirming Leon Cameron is no longer a candidate for our senior coaching role," Thomas said.

"We got to the point where we'd interviewed him, he was impressive, we knew his price.

"He was, right from the outset, someone we were interested in, but he's not the only guy. He chose something else, I respect that and we move on."

However, board member Wakelin said he found it hard to believe such a situation could occur.

"It's not great for the club," Wakelin told ''SEN''.

"Let's face it. The whole process has been less than perfect.