Matthew Primus' popularity with Port Adelaide fans and sponsors will be a factor in the search for a new coach, the AFL club's president says.

And Primus' bid to win the permanent coaching role won't be harmed by last week's record loss to St Kilda, Port president Brett Duncanson said on Wednesday.

Primus, a former Power captain, has won two of four games since being named caretaker coach following Mark Williams' departure.

The Power has started the first round of interviews for the senior role, with Essendon assistant Alan Richardson a confirmed candidate.

Other rumoured applicants include Western Bulldogs assistant Leon Cameron; Carlton assistant Craig Bradley, who played for Port before moving to Victoria; and West Coast assistant Scott Burns.

Duncanson refused to say who or how many people were on the club's short-list.

But the president said Primus' marketability was a factor in the club's decision, expected late next month.

"That will be a factor in everything we do when it comes to the appointment of senior coaches: what does it actually do to our long term commercial viability," Duncanson said.

"And Matty ticks all those boxes."

The Power suffered their heaviest loss ever to St Kilda last Sunday but Duncanson said the result wouldn't dent Primus' case.

"I don't think it will have a major bearing on our senior coach process because we knew the process, before any win-loss ratio, that we wanted to go through," he said.

"It always helps to win.

"But, I say it again, we agreed on a process three weeks ago and that process we'll stick to.

"The win-loss ratio - it's a great opportunity for Matty, I know he has taken it with both hands and is really enjoying it and hasn't put a foot wrong off field.

"So we are very comfortable with what Matty is doing."

Duncanson said the club was "buoyed" by the merit of people who approached Port about coaching the club.

"That added to the people that we wanted to interview through the process, there is no issue about the quality of people that are available to coach this footy club," he said.

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