Suns downed, but Hinkley feels strain on world stage

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley admits the pressure of delivering a vital win in the Power’s new market of China got to him. But he was full of praise for his side’s turnaround with contested ball.

Charlie Dixon of the Power flies in an effort to tackle Gold Coast’s Jarrod Harbrow in Shanghai. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz Port punish Suns in Shanghai

• Wasteful Power coast against Suns
• ‘What was I thinking?’ Hinkley ponders wild Showdown reaction
• Soft Power kick: The heavyweight behind Port’s China foray

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley admits the pressure of delivering a vital win in the Power’s new market of China got to him.

“I had a really frustrating day,” said Hinkley after the Power advanced its win-loss record to 6-3 with the 40-point win against Gold Coast in Shanghai.

“I take responsibility for that. You feel the pressure of wanting to represent the club well — and the players do too. Particularly me.

“We did not have our greatest day (in the coach’s box) supporting the boys.”

Ken Hinkley shows his frustration in Shanghai. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Chad Wingard reacts after missing a goal. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Port Adelaide was frustrating in its work on the field at a wet Jiangwan Stadium where its poor conversion of 11.16 highlighted — as Hinkley and captain Travis Boak declared — the heavy burden the Power players felt to honour their club’s off-field staff for putting on the AFL’s only international match.

Port Adelaide’s search for consistency remains on Hinkley’s agenda, despite the Power following up the dramatic Showdown 44 win with a solid work ethic against the Suns.

But Hinkley has no doubt that Saturday’s game reinforced the need for his team to strengthen its focus on contested football.

Port’s Jake Neade tackles the Suns’ Brad Scheer at Jiangwan Stadium in Shanghai, China. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

“We’re 6-3. Anyone in the competition would be reasonably pleased at 6-3,” Hinkley said. “We were pretty strong again in contested ball.

“And if you take out the free-kick count that was significantly against us (36-23 in favour of the Suns), the contested ball was a pretty convincing win. We’ve now done that in back-to-back weeks.

“We’ll talk about it — you have to play a strong, contested brand of football. You get 22 weeks to practise, get it right and, hopefully, qualify (for finals). But if you can’t go to the latter part of the year with strong, contested players, you are probably not winning.”

Unlike last season, when Port Adelaide dismissed Gold Coast early for a 72-point win, the second edition of AFL in China was a demanding match for Hinkley’s crew.

Charlie Dixon tries to bring down Sun Jarrod Harbrow. Picture: Sean Garnsworthy/AFL Media/Getty Images

“It was a tough day with those (wet) conditions — and frustrating for everyone ... players, coaches, the whole lot,” Hinkley said.

“It was just a tough day. To our credit, we just kept slogging it out — and to Gold Coast’s credit they stayed in the slog with us.

“We just couldn’t nail a couple to put them away. There is no doubt some of the misses were our own fault. Some of those easy ones (missed, particularly in the third term by Sam Powell-Pepper and Jake Neade from 20 metres) were frustrating.”

Port Adelaide reported no injury on Saturday night. It will have some players return immediately to Adelaide and some use their mid-season break to holiday in China.

The Power resumes in AFL round 11 — against Hawthorn in Launceston on Saturday, June 2.

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