Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says he is prepared for criticism after another disappointing finals exit

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is prepared for the criticism that will come his way after another disappointing finals exit. See what he had to say after the latest loss.

Ollie Wines and the Power were dumped from the finals in straight sets. Picture: Getty Images

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is prepared for the criticism that will come his way after the Power was unceremoniously dumped out of the finals in straight sets.

Port’s 23-point loss to GWS at Adelaide Oval was the fifth sudden-death final Hinkley’s side has lost since 2014, with the Power failing to make a grand final in 11 seasons under the coach who signed a new two-year contract in August.

Hinkley was asked if he was feeling rising tension at the lack of finals success in the aftermath of the upset loss.

“If I was, do you reckon I’d still be around?” he replied.

“That’s the simple answer … ‘No, I’m not’.

“I’ve got a great support crew that help me coach this football club.

“I’m not worried about what that scrutiny sounds and looks like, but I get that it will come … I can’t avoid that.

“I will handle it – it’s OK.”

Hinkley offered a blunt response when asked to rate Port’s season.

Ken Hinkley and the Port Adelaide coaches leave the field. Picture: Getty Images

“At the start of the year we set out to win the premiership and we didn’t do that,” he said.

“That’s my answer to how I rate the season.

“It’s reasonable to sit there and say that we’ve got to get better.

“We can’t refute that … we definitely have to get better if we’re going to win in September.

“We had a great run of 13 wins and we were playing some really strong footy, but the last seven or eight weeks, for a number of reasons, we weren’t near that form and it got showed up in finals.”

The Power was banged up late in the season with key players Charlie Dixon, Todd Marshall, Scott Lycett and Trent McKenzie hampered by injury.

Hinkley defended the decision to take that foursome into the semi-final, with all having limited impact.

“We took the risks that we had to take around what was available to us and who was capable of playing at the level,” he said.

“There were some really young players, who were very much too young to play at AFL level.

“People can say that we had some injured players or some blokes less than perfect, but I can guarantee that if some of those (young) replacements were out there it would have been a much worse result.

“I think some of the personnel issues that we were dealing with (over the past two months) made it pretty challenging for us.

“But I thought we gathered ourselves pretty well with what we could possibly do.

“Ideally, I would have loved to have a fit Marshall, I would have loved to have had a fit Dixon, I would have loved to have had a fit McKenzie.

“But that’s what happened and they were brave enough to go and play for us as long as they could.”

Ryan Burton and Travis Boak react on the final siren. Picture: Getty Images

‘MY WORST SEASON’: WHERE 2023 FELL APART FOR POWER

-Simeon Thomas-Wilson

Port Adelaide vice-captain Ollie Wines says the Power’s straight sets exit “will sting for a while” as he described 2023 as the “probably my worst season at the AFL level”.

The Power bombed out at the semi-final stage after being swept away by GWS’ “orange tsunami” at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

Wines, who was captain for the 23-point loss with Tom Jonas injured, said the Power were taught a lesson by the Giants.

“Yeah we are shattered,” he told this masthead.

“Obviously you don’t want to lose any final and to lose a home semi it is very disappointing.

“We got ourselves in a real good position from the regular season and we are just incredibly disappointed.

“They just beat us in the contest, first possession, clearance, contested possession, they are those key indicators that are so important in finals footy.

“We just weren’t good enough at the contest.

“Everyone is pretty flat at the moment with the result, they played some really good football GWS but our contest wasn’t up to scratch.

Port Adelaide was smashed in contested footy by GWS. Picture: Getty Images

“We will learn from it but this one will sting for a while.”

The Power finished third on percentage to earn a second chance in the finals, after a club record 13-game winning streak.

But Wines said post their bye, the Power weren’t consistent enough.

“Obviously we played well during the season and got the second chance,” he said.

“But our last two performances, and to be fair probably after the bye our form has been a bit hit and miss.

“So yeah it is just incredibly disappointing.

“We will look back at the season and while we might be thinking fairly negative at the moment but I guess over the coming weeks we will reflect on what worked for us and the little successes we had along the way.

“Because a new season starts next year and we have to move on, but right now at the moment this one stings.”

Port Adelaide did return to finals in 2023 after its horror 2022 season.

But Wines said it won’t be a pass mark for the Power.

“We don’t have a pass mark, our club’s motto is we exist to win premierships and every year we set out on that,” he said.

“We have little goals along the way but unfortunately we have fallen short.

“I’m sure during the year we will debrief and reflect on the season, but now it is probably too soon.

Wines going toe-to-toe with Callan Ward for a loose ball. Picture: Getty Images

“I think we have to look at that contest of this game, that is the area that we lost and finals footy is built around contested footy and we got smashed in that area and that was the result.”

For Wines himself, 2024 will be a season of redemption after a 2023 where he conceded he was not near his best.

“It has been probably my worst season at the AFL level and certainly has been challenging both mentally and physically week in week out,” he said.

“I’ve loved seeing the development of the young mids and seeing (Zak) Butters and (Connor) Rozee and those guys thrive in there.

“It certainly stings a little bit extra for me with contested possession and contest being my one wood and us being smoked in that area tonight. I feel a little bit responsible for that.

“I think personally I have had to show a fair bit of resilience to get through those lulls in form and keep turning up and finding different ways to lead if my football actions aren’t leading at the time.

“I probably learnt a lot about myself, how much I love this game and how much I love playing well to satisfy my teammates. And at times I haven’t been able to do that.

“So I will let that fire burn inside of me to get back to my best.”