Why Port Adelaide must stick with under-fire coach Ken Hinkley for at least another year
The Port Adelaide board must bite the bullet and back Ken Hinkley in as coach next year, says football writer Andrew Capel.
- Hinkley makes his case to stay at the Power
- Kane Cornes: Power could sink or rise on Hinkley call
- Rockliff: Port heading for dominant period
The Port Adelaide Football Club board must hold its nerve and stick with Ken Hinkley as coach next year.
Barring the unlikely event of a Docker shocker at Adelaide Oval on Sunday — that would make the natives very restless — the decision to back Hinkley in for 2020 should be a no-brainer.
While Hinkley’s contract — hastily extended and rewritten after outspoken chairman David Koch’s foot-in-your-mouth comments when he questioned team selection following the heartbreaking extra-time loss to West Coast in the 2017 elimination final — stipulates he must make the finals to trigger a one-year extension for 2021, the coach must be given every opportunity to do that next season.
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Many Port fans — spoiled by great success in the SANFL — are calling for blood now.
While the Power remains in the finals hunt with one minor round series remaining — it needs bitter hometown rival Adelaide to upset the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat and then chase percentage at home against Fremantle — the likelihood is that it will miss the finals for the fourth time in the past five years.
It is clear Hinkley’s star has waned after taking over a club in crisis at the end of 2012 — a disastrous period which included five consecutive years of bottom-end finished between 10th and 16th — and finishing fifth in 2013 and third in 2014.
Port went within a kick of beating eventual premier Hawthorn in the ‘14 preliminary final, losing by three points, on a day where it was probably unlucky to be beaten, having seven more scoring shots.
Some sections of the media also appear to be calling for blood, which is most surprising given Hinkley’s honesty, straightforwardness and general demeanour with them at press conferences.
He gives more than most coaches and rarely keeps his supporters in the dark, which deserves a tick.
“I always talk in facts, I’ve never done anything differently, I’ve always talked as honestly as I possibly could and I will continue to do that — and hopefully for a lot longer,’’ he said at his press conference on Thursday.
Some Power supporters — membership and home attendances have dipped this year — don’t fully understand just how tough it is to churn out consistently good results in the AFL.
It is a far more competitive and ruthless competition than the SANFL, where Port could once bully teams into submission.
It is a slower, more calculated build.
While Port clearly would have loved to have played finals this season — it now remains only a slim hope — the tough playing list calls were made at the end of last year.
Dual All-Australian Chad Wingard was, in effect, sent packing to Hawthorn.
Left-footed playmakers Jared Polec (on a massive contract) and Jasper Pittard were either let go or traded to North Melbourne and favourite son Jack Hombsch was moved to Gold Coast.
At the time, the Power made a statement that it was tired of treading water in the middle of the table following ninth, 10th, seventh and 10th placed finishes.
Its statement of intent was that it was prepared to make some big calls to put itself in a position to challenge for a premiership, even if it meant taking a small backward step in the meantime.
“We have put together a list that gives us a great opportunity going forward,’’ Hinkley said.
Key recruits Ryan Burton, from Hawthorn, and Scott Lycett, fresh from winning a premiership with West Coast, were brought into the team.
Astute trades netted Port three first-round draft picks which it used brilliantly to secure Connor Rozee, who is likely to finish runner-up in the Rising Star behind Carlton’s Sam Walsh, Zak Butters and Xavier Duursma.
All three have shown enough in their first year to suggest they will be key 200-game players for the club.
Dan Houston, Darcy Byrne-Jones, Karl Amon and Peter Ladhams have enjoyed either breakout or career seasons and are strong building blocks for the future.
Key forward Todd Marshall has talent to burn.
The foundations for future success have been built.
Hinkley — who has the support of his players, with veteran star Robbie Gray saying, “Kenny is outstanding for our footy club and is the man for us’’, — deserves the opportunity to at least coach Port in 2020.
Results next year will provide a better indication of just how good a coach he is.