Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley labels Showdown win as ‘significant’ in setting up Power’s AFL season

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley praises his Power players who made it known how sick they were of losing Showdowns and hopes it sets the scene for the side’s future.

Ken Hinkley celebrates with his Port Adelaide players after the long-awaited Showdown win. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images
Power press conference

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PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley labels the Power’s epic Showdown win as “significant” — not just for clearing away the past after losing five consecutive derbies to the Crows, but “setting the scene” of his team’s future.

“That’s enormous,” Hinkley said after the Power’s five-point win put the Showdown ledger level again at 22-22 and equal with the Crows at 5-3 on the AFL ladder.

“We all heard the talk (leading into the derby) was about 0-5 ... so it was pretty emotional for us all.

“We somehow found a way to win — and we showed enormous courage.”

Power coach Ken Hinkley laps up the Showdown with his players. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Geelong recruit Steven Motlop’s matchwinning goal — with 21 seconds to play after the Power conceded a 17-point lead in time-on — gave Port Adelaide its first Showdown win since May 3, 2015.

Hinkley had to rely on his players and their knowledge of his playbook to get through the dramatic and decisive last minute of another epic Showdown.

“I was so proud of our boys that we had structure in place for those last two plays (to regain the lead and to defend it),” Hinkley said. “They both came off.

“You trust in them. You believe in them. They try bloody hard every week.

“There were 42 seconds to go,” said Hinkley, referring to the time on the clock when Adelaide key forward Mitch McGovern gave the Crows the lead by following up captain Taylor Walker and Eddie Betts’ goals in time-on, “and we’d kicked one in 21 seconds.

Kenny's pumped! #AFLPowerCrows pic.twitter.com/qrqjgEEGQV

— AFL (@AFL) May 12, 2018

“So they (the Crows) still had enough time (to win). It was one of those games where you wondered, ‘What’s going to happen next?’

“I was sick of 0-5. The team was sick of 0-5. It was a bit too silly (the post-match euphoria), but that is the emotion of this game sometimes,” added Hinkley, who praised the Port Adelaide fans for willing his team to victory with their loud support.

Hinkley also felt the belief Port Adelaide gained in overcoming a 26-point deficit at halftime of the summer Showdown to beat the Crows by 26 points at Alberton Oval in March also was helpful.

“I know it does not count for much (a pre-season win), but that similar experience built a belief that we could keep coming after them (the Crows),” Hinkley said.

Power coach Ken Hinkley addresses his troops at three-quarter time. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

The win had just one sour note — the report of second-year midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper by field umpire Simon Meredith at the end of third term for wrestling Crows club champion Matt Crouch. If found guilty, Powell-Pepper would face a fine rather than suspension from AFL match review officer Michael Christian on Monday.

Powell-Pepper made a significant contribution in the second half in his first AFL game since serving a three-game ban for an off-field discretion on Adelaide’s nightclub circuit on April 9. His tough work at the contests certainly put him on the path to atonement with his coach and his teammates.

“He’s here to play footy — and that’s what he should be doing, playing footy,” Hinkley said.

The Power reported no injury, setting up a hassle-free transition from Alberton to Shanghai on Monday evening in the lead-up to the clash with Gold Coast in China on Saturday.

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