Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley backs Xavier Duursma’s goal celebrations on one condition
“There’s a time and place in footy, I think we all recognise that,’’ Power coach Ken Hinkley says of Xavier Duursma’s controversial goal celebration.
PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has vowed to “talk’’ to exciting youngster Xavier Duursma about his flairy bow and arrow celebration, saying he needs to pick the “time and place’’ to put it on public display.
Duursma — a major success story for the Power in his first season at the club after being drafted at pick 18 last year — was jeered by Richmond supporters at the MCG on Saturday after producing his trademark goal celebration following a major in the third quarter which still left Port trailing by 16 points.
The Tigers booted the next three goals to blow their lead out to six goals before winning by 38 points.
Duursma, whose goal from a set shot followed a strong mark, came in for heavy criticism on social media for celebrating so wildly when his side was being beaten.
Hinkley defended Duursma's passion and flair, saying he was a “humble, great kid’’ who should not be hung out to dry.
But he also said there was a right time to celebrate.
“Let’s not hang the kid out,” Hinkley said.
“I reckon he’s understanding the right time, the right moment.
“He’s young, he’s such a fantastic, humble boy. If you know the boy, you know it’s not about him. It’s about energy that he is trying to create for his teammates.
“I don’t think we should view it as anything too much over the top.
“But there’s a time and place in footy, I think we all recognise that, and Xavier will come to terms with it at the right time.
“But let’s be really clear, this kid is a really humble, humble kid.
“And he’s doing some stuff that he thinks helps his teammates, excites his teammates, and it’s part of the younger generation, they like it.”
Hinkley said he encouraged his players to have character.
But he said it was important to know the right time to celebrate.
“We don’t want to shut everyone down to be boring and plain like me, do we?” Hinkley said.
“We want them to be a bit more themselves but we do need an understanding of what it looks like and when you do it and when you don’t do it.
“I think that’s really important. So I’ll talk to Xave about that and what it looks like.
“But the kid is such a humble kid. I just want to say that again. He’s a great kid.”
Duursma, who has played 16 of Port’s 17 games this season — earning a Rising Star nomination in round six — was one of the Power’s best against Richmond.
Starting on the bench after being dropped for last week’s clash against Brisbane, the running machine had 24 disposals to go with his goal, which was his eighth of the year.
He has been producing his now customary bow and arrow celebration for three seasons.
“I started doing it my bottom year of TAC Cup when I was about 16 or 17, it comes from a Reggie Jackson/Jamal Murray kind of influence out of the NBA,’’ Duursma said.
“I love the NBA and I thought not many people in the AFL have celebrations like that, so I thought why not be different and have a bit of an identity of my own.’’
Power teammate Charlie Dixon described Duursma’s celebration as part of “our young generation’’.
“They come through with a bit of swagger and flair, it’s not something I’d be doing but that’s the way it is,’’ he told Channel 7.
“He brings a bit of his own personality to the side and I think I heard Ken say there’s a time and a place, maybe he could do a little one, he nearly got down on one knee.”
Hinkley said the three first-round selections the Power secured last year — Duursma, Connor Rozee and Zak Butters — had been a “great success.”
“Could we be more pleased? No, we couldn’t. I’m not going to hide from that,’’ he said.
“I think they’ve been outstanding, they’ve been a great success for us as a footy club, and we look forward to some really exciting stuff from them going forward and there’s so much upside.”