Port Adelaide Power coach Ken Hinkley hails ‘significant’ AFL win over West Coast Eagles

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley described Sunday night’s 32-point win over West Coast as significant for both its ladder position and self-belief, after the Power surged back into the top four.

• Match report: Power makes its point
• Analysis: Port on target, on song
• Bone rates the Power players
• Win provides ‘significant’ belief: Ryder

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley described Sunday night’s 32-point win over West Coast as significant for both its ladder position and self-belief, after the Power surged back into the top four.

Given West Coast started the round in seventh spot, the win will finally end the talk that the Power had not beaten a top-eight side all season.

“Does it? It doesn’t matter. We’ve won some big games away and we’ve still got another seven to set ourselves in a position we want to be,” Hinkley said.

“There would be 12 teams sitting there thinking they can win it (premiership) if they get it right this year, that’s never been like that before, so it doesn’t matter who any of those 12 teams you’ve played, they’re big wins.

“In a tight season it’s pretty significant, there was a bit of pressure on coming over here, every win is going to be important and when you can get another big win on the road - as we’ve done a few times this year - they do make a difference hopefully.”

Hinkley praised his side’s character after it was able to respond to seven consecutive Eagles goals which threatened to end the game in the second quarter.

“That was bloody impressive wasn’t it?” he said.

“To come back, in Perth, against a team that’s in pretty good form, to respond and show some real grunt and ticker, for the boys to not give it away - they were pretty determined to make sure this was a significant day.

“You should say ‘why aren’t you like that every week?’ and questions keep getting asked and I suppose they got sick of them.”

Hinkley eased concerns over young midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper’s shoulder, which he said was only “bruised” and did not pop out of its joint after his bone-crunching tackle on Elliott Yeo.

“It will be pretty sore, there’s no doubt about that ... he’ll play (next week), good luck trying to stop him,” Hinkley said.

“He’s from Western Australia, I reckon they would have seen him do that as a kid, but today that’s a big, big hit and a fair hit.

“He’s one of my favourites, but I shouldn’t say that.”

Another of Hinkley’s favourites is ruckman Paddy Ryder who helped Port win hit-outs 50-33 against Nathan Vardy and Scott Lycett, and also set up several stoppage goals.

“He’s a pretty special player, I love him, I can’t help that, he’s the best ruckman in the competition and we’re lucky to have him back in the team this year.

“He’s just dominating games week-in, week-out.”

Asked whether it’s a luxury for a coach to have a dominant ruckman like Ryder, Hinkley said: “it’s not so much me as a coach, I’d say ask the boys who are playing at his feet”.

“Ask Ollie, ask Brad, ask Sam Powell-Pepper ... they’re the ones who appreciate him the most.”

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