Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says decision on China still ‘4-6 weeks’ away, but player health remains number one priority
It could be 4-6 weeks until Port Adelaide learns if it’s annual China game will go ahead amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak, and coach Ken Hinkley says player welfare will dictate decision-making.
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Coach Ken Hinkley says Port Adelaide will take a “no health risk’’ approach to its China game in May.
While indicating he believes the May 31 clash against St Kilda in Shanghai will still go ahead, Hinkley said the players and staff would not board the plane if there was any risk of contracting deadly coronavirus.
He said he expected the Power squad to abide by the club’s stay-or-go decision, but would not force a player to make the trip if he was concerned about catching the virus.
“We let the China stuff take care of itself by the people who are managing it and they are doing a great job, Chris Davies (football operations manager) and Keith Thomas (chief executive) will take care of that,'’ Hinkley said.
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“The only thing we know is that our boys have been on the journey a number of times (three) and they know exactly what goes on.
“But if there is any health risk we, obviously, wouldn’t be going.
“Like any club, our boys would have the freedom of choice – you wouldn’t force anyone to do anything – but I'm sure, I have absolutely no doubt, that they trust the people making the decisions are going to make the right decisions.
“I would sit here and give you a guarantee that if our club says it is safe to go then every one of our players would trust that.’’
Port, St Kilda, the AFL and the AFL Players’ Association are monitoring the virus outbreak in China and Hinkley believes a decision to stage a game there, or replace it with a match in Melbourne is still “four-to-six’’ weeks away.
“There’s a lot of planning that goes into China, not just from the footy teams but also the commercial stuff that has been done well,’’ he said.
“I’m probably overstating it, but we’ll make the right decision.
“If it's not right we won’t go, if it is right we’ll be there.’’
Hinkley said the coaching staff and players were more concerned with the start of the premiership season, and leaving the China decision to management.
“We’ve done the trip before, we’re used to it, so it's no big deal for us,’’ he said.
“We know how to go there and play football and we haven’t lost there.
“Right now we’re preparing for the start of the season.’’
Port has played a game at China's Jiangwan Stadium for the past three seasons, beating Gold Coast by 72 points in 2017 and 40 points in 2018, and the Saints by 70 points last year.