AFL Finals: Matt Turner on Ken Hinkley and Port Adelaide’s preliminary final loss to Sydney

There was plenty of optimism leading in that this time might be different for Port Adelaide. But it wasn’t – the Power was taught another finals lesson. MATT TURNER looks at what happened.

Port Adelaide just cannot overcome this hurdle.

After plenty of optimism leading in that this time might be different, that the club could mark the 20-year anniversary of its only AFL flag by winning again, the Power got taught another finals lesson.

Some of those lessons being that you cannot rock up to a preliminary final, away against the AFL’s top team, apply pressure below the competition’s average and expect to stand a chance.

Another is that you cannot cough up a swathe of turnovers to the league’s No. 1 side at converting forward-half intercepts and win a game of this magnitude.

Ken Hinkley asked his side pre-game, why not us?

The answer was they were not good enough to take that last step – just like his 2014, 2020 and 2021 versions that got to this point and fell short.

The Power were taught another finals lesson. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Two heavy finals defeats over the past three weeks proves that.

Port will finish third or fourth and that seems about right.

It won 16 of 23 games, reached another preliminary final, but was shown up against Geelong at home in the qualifying final and a fair way off the Swans.

Friday night’s result will have questions about the Power’s finals mettle and flag credentials rear again, a week after seemingly putting them to bed.

Port rode fierce physical pressure and the emotion of Jack Ginnivan’s pre-game social media motivation to an inspired three-point home semi-final win over Hawthorn last week.

The Power hardly gave itself a chance of causing an upset on Friday night.

And that was despite leading clearances (26-9), inside 50s (31-26) and contested possessions (69-56) at half-time.

While Sydney’s ball movement was majestic at times and it was able to control the play, Port’s forward 50 connection was horrible and its entries predictable, usually long.

Many of Port Adelaide’s shots at goal were tumblers.

A snap by Jackson Mead, typically a nice ball user, wobbled across the face.

Eleven of Sydney’s first 12 goals came from Port turnovers, as the visitors continually coughed the ball up trying to play through the corridor under immense Swans heat on the ball.

At the main break, the Power’s pressure rated in the high 170s, below the competition average.

It is a cliche to suggest a team played its grand final a week before, but it looked like that at stages against the Swans.

Port was simply not the same side.

Chairman David Koch has publicly guaranteed Hinkley will coach again next year, in what will be his 13th season.

But he cannot shake that tag that has followed him – he will extend his record as the longest-serving VFL/AFL coach without a grand final appearance.

Meanwhile, Swans counterpart John Longmire is preparing for a fifth grand final.

It’s the Power’s third preliminary final loss since 2020. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Port knew its eight-game winning streak against the Swans dating back to 2016 meant little going into the match and Sydney proved it.

Optimism that the Power can go further next season will come from Jase Burgoyne playing another strong finals game, Jason Horne-Francis taking another step this season, Jordon Sweet establishing himself as a very good AFL ruckman, the returns from injury of Sam Powell-Pepper, Jeremy Finlayson and Kane Farrell, and the potential arrivals of Harry Perryman, Isaac Cumming and Jack Lukosius from rival clubs.

But can they keep turning up?

And if they do, can they get over the line?

They are yet to prove they can.

Time will tell if club great Travis Boak and long-time spearhead Charlie Dixon – both out of contract – will be back for another tilt.