At the end of the 2025 AFL season, Port Adelaide FC found itself navigating a significant period of transition within its football department. Their long-time General Manager Football departed the club after more than a decade in the role, leaving a critical leadership gap in the department that underpins on-field performance and long-term development across AFL, AFLW and SANFL programs. Simultaneously, the club was entering a new era on the field with their head coach concluding a 13-year tenure, with his successor set to lead the AFL team in 2026. Port Adelaide faced the dual challenge of building continuity amid coaching turnover and ensuring the football program was positioned for sustained success.

To meet these evolving demands, the club required a senior football leader who could provide strategic oversight, elevate professionalism across programs, and serve as a governance bridge between coaching, list management and executive leadership. This role demanded a blend of elite football experience, operational understanding and leadership maturity.

The standout candidate to emerge from the search was Ben Rutten, a highly respected AFL player. An elite former on-field player, Ben built a significant coaching career across AFL clubs, including a premiership year, before moving into coaching performance and development roles and later transitioning into football operations and senior leadership. In October 2025, Port Adelaide officially appointed Rutten as General Manager Football, a role in which he will lead the club’s football departments across AFL, AFLW and SANFL, and help guide the program through rebuilding. Ben’s strategic mindset, commitment to continual learning and ability to provide leadership across the football ecosystem will ensure stability during the football restructure.