BIO

Matthew Primus was a strapping Geelong junior who developed his rucking prowess under Neil Craig at Norwood and progressed to the AFL as an elite player with Fitzroy and Port Adelaide.  He coached Port Power after injuries ended his playing career.

A grandson of legendary Geelong captain and coach Reg Hickey, Matthew was born at Geelong on 12 January 1975.  He played for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup, a Victorian competition for under 18 talent.

In 1995, his second season at Norwood, he won the club’s best and fairest award and gained selection in The Advertiser Team of the Year.  He was a member of the South Australian team which, captained by Garry McIntosh and coached by John Cahill, unexpectedly succumbed to a tigerish Tasmania, 14.15 to 12.12, in Hobart on 13 May 1995.

An imposing figure at 198 cm and 109 kg, Matthew was No 2 in the National Draft when he joined Fitzroy in 1996.  It was Fitzroy’s last season and the first of the Australian Football League, previously called the Victorian Football League. Matthew kicked five goals in his 20 games with Fitzroy and gained all-Australian selection - a feat he repeated in 1997 as a member of the Port Adelaide team newly admitted to the AFL in place of Fitzroy.  He also made the all-Australian team in 2001 and 2002, playing two international games in 2002.

Matthew played 137 games and kicked 76 goals for Port Power between 1997 and 2005.  He was captain from 2001 to 2005 and won the John Cahill Medal as the club’s best player in 2002.  A knee buckled under him in 2004, requiring full knee reconstruction and causing him to miss most of the premiership year.  He made a comeback in 2005 before the knee again failed him in the last minor round game and he announced his retirement.  

He coached Port Power in 47 games from 2010 to 2012 for 13 wins and 34 losses.  He signed on as head coach of the Southport Sharks in the VFL in 2025.

Matthew married Melissa Tucker in 2007 and they have two daughters, Holly and Skye.

P. Robins, G. Adams  October 2026