‘Give the bloke a break’: Why Ken Hinkley has jumped in for Jack
PORT Adelaide only laid five tackles in the first quarter against St Kilda but finished with 69 and a six-goal win, with Jack Watts among the players spurring the turnaround. See why coach Ken Hinkley leapt to his defence in this week’s Power Rankings.
- Port gets straight to the point
- Ken’s warning: We are building
- Boak: We’ll take the ugly wins
- We’ll fight to the end: Jenkins
LATE in the third quarter with Port Adelaide leading St Kilda by five goals, Jack Watts left his post at half-forward and came charging into the centre square.
David Armitage had taken possession of the ball at a stoppage and thought he had more time but he didn’t see Watts coming.
Watts arrived at full pace, laid a crunching tackle and Armitage dropped the footy. How it wasn’t paid holding the ball is a mystery, but that was beside the point.
The bigger point for Port Adelaide was that a forward had rushed in to apply that sort of pressure and midfield support, and it was Watts who three weeks ago was told to go back to the SANFL and rediscover his intensity for the contest was even better.
“When you’ve got mobile talls we demand that of them, with Dicko and Wattsy they play as smalls as well, we can’t have them staying back and not putting pressure on defensively,” Chad Wingard said.
Watts clearly listened because it wasn’t just his attack on the ball but his workrate that would have pleased Port Adelaide’s coaches on Saturday.
In the final quarter he sprinted 100m from the wing to half-forward to get on the end of a Steven Motlop pass and set up a Charlie Dixon goal.
But back to his tackle on Armitage and it typified Port’s endeavour after quarter-time.
The Power only laid five tackles in the first quarter but finished with 69 and a six-goal win.
Watts wasn’t the only one to get his hands dirty.
Jack Trengove’s tackle on Jade Gresham when the Saints were threatening early in the final term was a big one as well, as was Paddy Ryder’s on Jack Steele to stop a goal and Justin Westhoff’s chase down of Luke Dunstan.
Watts was very good on Saturday night and coach Ken Hinkley clearly took aim at those who continue to benchmark his performance against the No. 1 draft pick tag that came with him 10 years ago.
Hinkley is fiercely protective of his players at the best of times but this was more than that, it was about unrealistic expectations like Watts should be kicking 50 goals a year when all Port asks for is effort. Cue his tackle on Armitage.
“Jack’s playing really good footy for a bloke we brought to our club at pick 31,” Hinkley said in his post-game presser.
“Give the bloke a break. He gives everything he’s got and pleasingly for us he’s developed a will to want to compete the way we’d like him to play.
“From the media point of view, it’s always ‘Jack Watts pick one’, well Jack’s not that, he’s a great player for us to pick up in the off-season and we traded away pick 31 and for that is a pretty positive return.”
GOOD WEEKEND FOR …
Brisbane Lions. Coach Chris Fagan and star Dayne Beams. First time the club has won back-to-back games in three years and they’ve clearly gone past Carlton now.
ONE TO FORGET FOR …
Goalkicking coaches. Geelong kicked 8.23, Melbourne 13.24 and even Port Adelaide butchered plenty of chances in its 12.14. Luckily all three still won their games.
BURNING QUESTION …
How serious is Tom Jonas’ knee injury? He was walking unaided in the rooms post-match but Hinkley said it was significant so nervous times.
POWER RANKINGS
1. RICHMOND (12-3)
The juggernaut rolls on. In previous years there have been at least two clear frontrunners in the competition but this season the Tigers stand alone at the top. Broad, Graham and Butler now injured but passing every test with ease so far.
2. PORT (11-4)
Justin Westhoff kicked just four goals in the first 10 games this season but now has 11 from the past five including 2.2 in Saturday’s win over St Kilda. Five in a row for the Power and that could be eight with Freo, GWS and the Bulldogs to come.
3. COLLINGWOOD (11-4)
Scott Pendlebury had 14 disposals and 7 clearances in the final quarter to make sure good mate Steele Sidebottom celebrated his 200th in style.
4. SYDNEY (10-5)
Had the chance to make Geelong pay for its inaccuracy but let it slip. Well beaten around the footy and now face a tricky test against North Melbourne this weekend.
5. WEST COAST (11-4)
Nic Nat took mark of the year but Willie Rioli won the game with his tap to Gaff and set-shot goal at the death. Eagles break a three-game losing streak.
6. GEELONG (9-6)
The hardest team in the competition to read at the moment. Snapped a two-game losing streak to out-muscle the Swans. Tim Kelly and Brandan Parfitt are getting better with every game.
7. GWS (8-6-1)
Brave effort from the Giants to come from 23 points down in the third and hit the front late against the Eagles but not quite.
8. N. MELBOURNE (9-6)
Consolidating win that looked like it could have been a blowout early. Some nice work from Majak Daw forward.
9. MELBOURNE (9-6)
Midfield back to its best after lowering its colours against St Kilda last weekend. Viney, Brayshaw and Oliver smashed the Dockers in Darwin and like Frost back in the team.
10. ESSENDON (7-8)
The Bombers were in it for a long way against the Pies but fell short. What a great story Shaun McKernan is, 6.2 in the last fortnight. Persistence.
11. HAWTHORN (9-6)
Took a half to shake the Dogs but 14 goals from Breust, Gunston and Roughead combined keeps them right in the race.
12. ADELAIDE (7-8)
Put up a reasonable fight for three quarters but the gap between them and Richmond has grown significantly since the grand final. Tom Doedee the shining light again for the Crows.
13. FREMANTLE (6-9)
Smashed around the ball by Melbourne without Aaron Sandilands and Nat Fyfe. Can’t see where their next win is coming from against Port, Essendon, Hawthorn and West Coast up next.
14. ST KILDA (3-11-1)
Showed glimpses and at least made the Power earn it. Logan Austin did a good job on Charlie Dixon until the final quarter and Gresham was solid again.
15. BRISBANE (3-12)
Major endorsement of what they’re doing. No one expected them to beat Fremantle in Perth but most thought they’d beat Carlton at home and they delivered on both.
16. W. BULLDOGS (5-10)
Jason Johannisen back to his best with 32 disposals but the Bulldogs couldn’t match the Hawks in contested footy. With Melbourne, West Coast and Port coming up it could get ugly.
17. GOLD COAST (3-12)
Tough fortnight against Essendon and Sydney coming up before they get a crack at the Blues.
18. CARLTON (1-14)
Worst loss of the year and very hard to find hope in that performance.
reece.homfray@news.com.au
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