AFL Round 1 Port Adelaide v West Coast: Power coach Ken Hinkley on whether his 2024 list is the best he has had at Alberton

Last year, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley declared the club’s list as the best he’s had. So, what does he think of it now after a significant off-season? SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON finds out.

Last year, Ken Hinkley declared the list he boasted the best he had possessed in his time at Port Adelaide.

Twelve months on, while the Power has bolstered its list on paper, and addressed its areas of need, Hinkley said he would wait “a little bit” to find out just how much Port had improved for its 2024 campaign.

The Power begin its 2024 season with a clash against last year’s wooden spooners West Coast at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

While the Power is hot favourite, Hinkley did concede there was some “anxiety, some nerves and some excitement” and said there would be plenty of optimism at the Eagles.

Ken Hinkley said the Power could not take West Coast lightly. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“Every team more often than not has had a great preparation coming into the season, we hear it every day just how even the competition is,” he said.

“Last year it was a different type of anxiety, everyone was wondering if our pre-season form was accurate and we came out and played really well.

“So I expect our team to come out and play really well.

“There is a lot of excitement coming out of West Coast with the players they have. I think there are eight, nine, 10 premiership players in that team, Harley Reid has come and that builds excitement really quickly.

“We have seen at our footy club, we know just how quick exciting youth and some experience together can get going.

“Particularly at the start of the season where you have to be very mindful, that our responsibility is to perform at our best and keep West Coast from performing at their best.”

Esava Ratugolea will make his debut for the club on Sunday. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The Power will hand debuts to ruckman Ivan Soldo and key defenders Esava Ratugolea and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher.

All three came to the club in an off-season in which the Power looked to address its needs of ruckmen and key defenders.

On paper, the Power looks to have improved from the side that finished in the top four, but exited finals in straight-sets.

Hinkley said he was still waiting to find out.

“There is still some unknown, we have only played a trial game,” he said.

“We are optimistic and hopeful that we have improved enough to put us at the top of the ladder, that is where we set out at the start of the year to be.

“I said before we have a really strong list, the best list that we have had in a good period of time and look to have improved that from the people that we brought in but we still have to see that in action.

“So we are going to wait and see and hold our powder a little bit on how much better we can and can’t be.

“The competition looks to have gotten better, it is always getting better, it is such an even comp. There are a lot of teams who think they are going OK.”

Hinkley said the Power would wait until after its main session on Friday to decide whether Jeremy Finlayson comes in to replace the injured Ollie Lord, or if a debut is handed to ruckman Jordon Sweet in a dual-ruck plan.

Finlayson has been on the outer for Port. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Finlayson didn’t play in the pre-season clash against Fremantle, and was the sub in the semi-final loss to GWS, after being an important player for the Power over the past two-years with his versatility.

Hinkley backed Finlayson to return to form.

“Jeremy knows what he brings, he is a high quality player and he was an outstanding player for us last year when we went on a big run of wins,” he said.

“Jeremy knows what makes his game successful at AFL level.”

Young gun Mitch Georgiades will feature in a SANFL trial match against North Adelaide on Saturday.

Hinkley said if Georgiades – who suffered an ACL injury in April last year – fired then he could quickly be back in the AFL side.