Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley praises his young team and expresses confidence ruckman Peter Ladhams will re-sign
Power senior coach Ken Hinkley says his team’s big win on the road over the Bombers is the circuit-breaker that could re-ignite their season.
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Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said he never lost faith in his playing group and that he hopes Saturday’s stunning 10-goal upset demolition of Essendon can be the springboard for a late finals charge.
With the Power playing for its finals life and Hinkley dealing with fan discontent and questions about his future, his inconsistent but supremely talented side showcased its quality against the Bombers at Marvel Stadium to remain in striking distance of the top eight with three rounds to go.
And in a great sign for the future, while veteran superstar Robbie Gray led the way with four match-defining goals, a group of kids stood tall, including last year’s first-round draft picks Connor Rozee and Xavier Duursma, out-of-contract ruckman Peter Ladhams, who Hinkley revealed he was “extremely confident’’ would stay at the club, and key forward Todd Marshall (three goals).
“That’s what we are capable of,’’ Hinkley said of a win that showcased the “very good’’ Port compared to the sometimes bad one that had lost three consecutive games to slump to 10th.
“It was a really strong performance, a really committed team who knew the size of the challenge.
“We knew we had to play to our absolute best (to win) and to the boys’ credit they did.’’
Hinkley said the club had not taken a “season-on-the-line’’ mentality into the match and that it was just “a good opportunity to play against a good team’’.
“The (outside) noise has been there but we’ve been committed as a group, we’ve been connected as a football team all the way through,’’ he said.
“I and the group have never lost the belief in us as a football team. We haven’t quite played as well as we would have liked consistently but there has never been a lack of belief from inside the club.
“That is something I am really, really strong on - that we believe in this football team and this footy club.
“It’s a young team still, it’s still getting better, it has a pretty bright future. And there is a bit of momentum about us now, so maybe, just maybe (Port can do some late-season damage).’’
Usually-wasteful Port finally got its radar working, kicking 19.12, including a deadeye-dick 14.2 from set shots.
“It was really important,’’ Hinkley said.
“We haven’t hidden away from the fact that our forward 50 efficiency has been a struggle for us but the collective today worked really well.’’
The 59-point win was the Power’s second biggest of the season, behind the 70-point triumph against St Kilda in China in round 11.
Hinkley expressed confidence that three-game big man Ladhams, who was terrific with 18 disposals, 22 hitouts and seven clearances, would reject offers from other clubs to stay at Alberton.
“I’m extremely confident he’ll be playing at the Port Adelaide Football Club,’’ he said.
“Pete’s been a Port Adelaide boy his whole life, he’s lived across the road (from the club).
“How much do we want to keep him? Well, we picked him today, we didn’t make a really easy decision because Scott Lycett (who was dropped) has been fantastic for us this year.
“He’s had a couple of weeks where he hasn’t been quite as good as he would have liked to have been but I said before the game that Pete’s form demanded to be picked and I thought he played like an emerging young ruck, so we’re excited by him.’’
Hinkley said co-captain Ollie Wines, who has missed three games with a broken thumb, would be available for next Saturday’s home clash against Sydney.