Rodney Eade could yet become Port Adelaide's next AFL coach, club great Warren Tredrea says.

And Tredrea, Port's only AFL premiership captain, believes sought-after assistant coaches Leon Cameron and Scott Burns also remain interested in the position.

Eade, Hawthorn's Cameron and West Coast's Burns have publicly withdrawn any bid to coach Port.

But Tredrea says the public statements are designed to appease their current clubs, who are all still involved in the finals.

"There are people who are still involved in the finals who have allegedly stepped away who are very much in the running," Tredrea told Triple M on Friday.

"And names of the likes of Eade, Cameron, Burns are still names that won't go away from Alberton."

Sacked Carlton coach Brett Ratten on Thursday ruled himself out of coaching Port - an about-turn from his stated desire to join the Power.

Tredrea, a four-time Port best and fairest who remains well connected with the club, said Ratten's decision was about saving face.

"My understanding is he (Ratten) did a presentation that may not have been so impressive," Tredrea said.

"So he is sitting there thinking `well, I'm getting out of the race before I'm seen as sorry, you're not good enough'".

Tredrea said the death of Port player John McCarthy had impacted on the coach search.

"Port wanted to ... roll out their coach next week - it won't happen because of the John McCarthy issue that has absorbed the football club," he said.

"But also the fact that there are finals and there are coaches ... inside the finals, and they (Port) can't then go and actively get them.

"It is that wide open ... (people) are worried that it's going to be last man standing.

"I tell you right now, it is not.

"There is a number of people who are still into it, who are allegedly out of the race."

Other touted candidates include Gold Coast assistant Ken Hinkley, ex-Carlton assistant Alan Richardson and current Port assistant Shaun Rehn.