PORT Adelaide's 2004 premiership coach Mark Williams remains the firm favourite to become the next coach of St Kilda after Alan Richardson again indicated he would not seek the position.





The Saints were hopeful that Richardson would apply for the position and it is understood there was contact between the club and Port's head of coaching and strategy in Adelaide over the weekend.





But he released a statement on the Port Adelaide website late on Tuesday, stating yet again he was not interested replacing Scott Watters at St Kilda.





"I have made it clear I have no interest in the St Kilda coaching position," Richardson said.





"I am not being interviewed, as suggested, and am very happy in my role at Port Adelaide."





Richardson has been director of coaching and strategy for the Power for the last 12 months after working at Carlton, Essendon, Collingwood and the Western Bulldogs, and the club has been thrilled with the partnership he formed with senior coach Ken Hinkley.



The pair, both in their first year with Port, guided the club to an unlikely sixth-place finish in 2013.





The Saints want to have the position filled by next Monday so that the new coach can represent the club at meetings between the coaches and the AFL next week and then attend the NAB AFL Draft next Thursday on the Gold Coast.





Williams, head of development at Richmond for the past 12 months, presented well for the St Kilda position late last week, while also interviewed were Sandringham VFL coach Simon McPhee and assistant coach Adam Kingsley, another with ties to the Power.





Sources close to the Saints say it is not correct that Williams is seeking a five-year deal from the Saints and it is believed he would accept a three or four-year arrangement, which is what St Kilda will offer.





The only coach from five years ago still in charge at the same club is Hawthorn's Alastair Clarkson.