Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley slams ‘terrible’ performance against Adelaide
ONLY Robbie Gray was spared as Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley said his players were “bashed up” and would feel embarrassed by their “terrible” performance.
PORT Adelaide’s players — with the exception of Robbie Gray — “went missing” as top-ranked Adelaide scored the biggest Showdown defeat in the derby’s 21-year history at Adelaide Oval on Sunday night.
And now the question looms as to how many will pay the price by being told to miss the Power’s home clash with non-contender Collingwood this week as coach Ken Hinkley looks over a mess at Alberton.
All of Hinkley’s snapshot remarks of the 84-point belting from the Crows in Showdown 43 will echo while many fans, judges and critics will regard Port Adelaide as the pretender in next month’s AFL finals.
Hinkley spared only Gray while emphasising he was not prepared to justify the poorest performance delivered by the fifth-ranked Power (11-8) this season.
“Maybe this is the bash around the ears we needed,” Hinkley said.
“We got what we deserved — a smacking.
“We got smashed in every area. We can acknowledge the opposition is a very good side, but (our game was unacceptable).
“We got bashed up,” added Hinkley of how the Power players were meek against the more physical Crows.
“I’m incredibly disappointed — it is inexcusable to play that poorly.
“It was terrible — a really poor performance. (We were) dominated from the start to the end — and that’s unacceptable.
“We were missing 21 tonight. (The players) know they were poor; they would feel embarrassed by our performance — it was not good enough.”
Adelaide dominated the Power on disposals, contested possessions and with a remarkable 81-31 lead on inside-50s emphasising how the game was played in the Crows’ half and on their terms. And Hinkley feels the warning signs have been around the Power’s midfield for three weeks.
“It has been worrying,” Hinkley said.
“Particularly around the contest — and our ability to handle heat. It has not stood up as well as we would have liked it. We have enough size in there to do that, so we don’t have at the moment the hardness required to play top-level football.”
Port Adelaide has All-Australian Chad Wingard (ankle) and defender Matthew Broadbent (ankle) to test at training this week.
But selection for the home clash with the Magpies will be based on a stronger need to question the form of key players.
“We have to say, ‘If you are not getting it done, we’ll make some change’,” Hinkley said.
“That is what we have to do. Get back to work, do what you are supposed to do and own your position better. And stand up.”