COACHES continually need to be challenged. At the end of 2006, Mark Thompson had coached Geelong for seven seasons. He had a success rate of 49% and his team had finished a disappointing 10th on the ladder. The club hierarchy wasn't happy. The coach had been given plenty of time and resources, but the results weren't coming. So an extensive review of the coach and his role was undertaken. Changes were made and the coach, in effect, was put on notice. Twelve months later Thompson, who was dirty on being scrutinised so closely, was a premiership coach.

At the end of last season the Western Bulldogs finished dismally. They didn't win any of their last seven games. A thorough review was taken of coach Rodney Eade and his football department. Again, changes were made. Would Eade have enjoyed his methods being questioned? No.

But he had the good grace and sense to accept the changes that management made. And there is no doubt he would have questioned and challenged himself to make some self alterations to be the best he could be. Now he has his team outright second on the ladder and a very real chance to play off in a grand final. Both Geelong and Western Bulldogs supporters should be grateful that their clubs had strong leaders. In other words, presidents and CEOs who put their club's interest above the egos and feelings of their senior coach. Ultimately, both clubs and coach have prospered.

So you wonder whether the Port Adelaide Football Club has taken note, because I believe it should. When you think of the leadership at Geelong, you think of president Frank Costa, CEO Brian Cook and coach Mark Thompson. When you think of the leadership at Port Adelaide you think of Mark Williams, Mark Williams and Mark Williams. Greg Boulton has been Port Adelaide's president for 12 seasons and CEO John James has been in office for four years but I have no idea what they are like because you never see or hear them.

The face and mouth of Port Adelaide is strictly its coach. And with the coaching staff, the coach surrounds himself with home-town boys. There's Matthew Primus, Adam Kingsley and Tony McGuinness. The only outsider is former Saint Jason Cripps. The question that has to be asked is whether Williams, who is now in his 10th season as senior coach, gets challenged by his underlings. Throughout his 10-year tenure the team has been down, up, down, up and now is down again. From grand finalists to 12th on the ladder in the space of nine months is a dramatic fall. On the weekend Port lost its fifth home match out of six. Only 20,923 fans bothered to attend.

And where is Phil Walsh, the No. 1 assistant who sat alongside the coach during the successes of 2001-2004? He is still at Port but we don't see him. Did he challenge too much, was he getting too much recognition, did he not share in the spoils of victory?

Long-time South Australian football reporter Michelangelo Rucci believes that Williams has taken his eye off the ball in 2008. That he is more concerned with being the next Kevin Sheedy. That is, a football elder-statesman who has an opinion on everything. After the weekend's loss at home to Richmond, the coach declares that "we are going to give people opportunities to develop". I think it's all too simple to dismiss what looks like being a wasted season, as easily as that. Questions need to be asked. Where's the hardness? Why are there too many outside receivers and not enough who will burrow in and under. Who can win a contested ball? Who are the ferocious tacklers? Why have the goals from clearances dried up? Why the fall away of youngsters Danyle Pearce and Justin Westhoff? And above all, why are under-performing players not dropped.

Despite having won just four games, only 28 players have been used by Port Adelaide, the least of any team. It's a dangerous situation if a coach is allowed to control a club. For all concerned, if that is the case at Alberton changes should be made.