Jaspar Wilson-Keir | Jan 19, 2026
Leaving last season in the rear-view mirror, Head Coach Matthew Primus and his Sharks returned to Fankhauser Reserve this week to kick off their 2026 season. With the 2025 VFL campaign falling agonisingly short in their Grand Final defeat against Footscray, they are eager to go one better.
With plenty of players fit and firing in their first session back of the new year, Head Coach Matthew Primus has his eyes on round one.
“The boys came back ready to go and really eager to get back into it. We’ve got a bit of work to get done, but we’re really excited to have everybody back.”
Acknowledging last year’s result, Primus reinforced the growing drive of the group.
“It continues to be big. It has been for the last couple of years,” he said.
With unfinished business still striving for premiership success, there’s no one hungrier than Co-Captain Brayden Crossley.
“Matthew (Primus) has been really good with trusting us to do our programs over the off-season. It’s pretty evident that the hunger that is there, the boys have come back in really good nick… That was obvious on night one.”
With significant list changes over the off-season, the Southport squad has a drastic new look ahead of 2026. Off the back of this, the club has brought in a number of new recruits to replace their heavy losses.
“The new guys that have come in, the way that they’ve jumped on board and been ready to go is awesome,” he said.
Crossley also touched on the importance of building team chemistry in the lead up to the season.
“It’s really important.”
“We’ve got our camp coming up in the next couple of weeks so we’re building off that. There’ll be a few more opportunities for us to gel as a group which we’re really excited about.”
Photo Credit: Southport Sharks
