AFL Round 1 Collingwood v Port Adelaide: ‘Embarrassing’ Power handed huge reality check at the MCG

After his biggest ever loss as senior coach, Ken Hinkley is under the pump at Port Adelaide. See what he had to say about the Power’s awful performance against Collingwood.

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley was scathing of his side’s effort and performance on Saturday night, saying the Power were “miles off the pace” against Collingwood.

It was Hinkley’s heaviest coaching defeat as the Magpies handed the Power a 91-point drubbing in their only game at the MCG in 2025.

The Power lost in nearly all statistical areas, including the tackle count by a whopping 25.

Hinkley said Collingwood taught the Power a lesson on the inside and outside of the contest.

“They beat us physically and they beat us on the run as well, they didn’t just beat us one way,” he said.

“Clearly when you win by that much you dominate the game in all phases, it’s hard to be anything positive around the way we played other than we are in transition.

“We’re in the process of playing a slightly different game and clearly we’ve got a lot to learn.”

Ken Hinkley’s side suffered a 91-point loss against Collingwood. Picture: Getty Images

Hinkley expected the Magpies to respond after their Opening Round “reminder” against GWS but didn’t anticipate the glaring margin between the two teams.

“It was a real disappointing Round 1, we didn’t perform anywhere near where we’ve been performing in the pre-season and been training,” he said.

“Collingwood beat us the way they’ve beat us in the past, they were too physical around the contest and they were able to hurt us badly on turnover.

“We looked like the team who didn’t play last week and they looked like a team who had played and got a reminder – we were miles off the pace.

“Everyone knows that from the scoreboard, we don’t have to talk too much around how obvious it was, we were really disappointed by our effort and performance.”

Hinkley saw debutant Joe Berry and recruit Jack Lukosius as the few positives he could take out of the loss.

But while he was short of moments to celebrate and won’t accept the performance, Hinkley urged patience around the club’s new direction.

“We’ve got to remember it’s Round, I think we’ve got to maintain our belief in what we do and how we do things,” he said.

“You don’t always get the start you want, the reality is you can start to sink quickly into a bad place if you go into too much negative stuff.

“You’ve got to reflect on what was pretty positive but, as I said, tonight was nowhere near what we accept as a footy team.

“We know that but the reality is we’ve got to maintain the belief of what we’re going to play our footy like this year.

“We’ll be a better team, (and) we’ll be a different team next week.”

Port Adelaide hosts Round 1 winners Richmond next Saturday.

START THE CARR? ‘EMBARRASSING’ POWER SLUMPS TO 25-YEAR LOW

As far as first-up reality checks go, Port Adelaide copped one of the biggest you could get.

The club’s largest round-1 loss in 25 years. Tick.

Smashed in tackles (68-43) and inside 50s (65-48) all match, as well as clearances to quarter-time (17-6). Tick.

Conceding 10 consecutive goals. Tick.

All three facets of the ground soundly beaten. Tick.

Accusations that players gave up. Tick.

The heaviest defeat in 13 seasons of Ken Hinkley. That too.

Port Adelaide hoped to get the last laugh on Dan Houston’s Collingwood debut.

Instead the Power became the butt of the joke.

“This is embarrassing,” Jason Dunstall said on Fox Footy.

“They’re doing as they please, the Pies.

“Collingwood are running Port Adelaide off their feet.

“It has been horrible.”

Ken Hinkley during the big loss to Collingwood. Picture: Michael Klein

Port Adelaide insisted its squad was better placed for having dealt one of its best players in Houston and Hinkley insisted that nothing had changed since announcing Josh Carr would take over from him in 2026.

But when you produce that in your season-opener, this is the sort of result that will have doubters queuing up like the Magpies for easy goals in the last term.

Houston had been a calming figure in the Power’s defence for so long, one of its best distributors and decision-makers.

On its first night with him in opposition colours, Port’s backline struggled to find easy exits and coughed up too many turnovers that led to goals.

One came from swingman Jeremy Finlayson, who had used the ball so beautifully in the pre-season victory over St Kilda, getting too cute in trying to handball through traffic.

Another from Lachie Jones dropping a regulation high mark.

In the second term, Aliir Aliir left a kick to Jordon Sweet hanging in the air that was spoiled and finished with a Steele Sidebottom goal.

“They looked a bit jittery,” David King said on Fox Footy.

“They made some absolute clangers down there.”

The Power was no match for Nick Daicos and the Magpies. Picture: Michael Klein

Houston was not the only All-Australian the Power badly missed.

Its midfield was carved up without Zak Butters, who was sidelined with a knee injury.

The early clearance count only told part of the story.

Brownlow Medal-winning midfielder Ollie Wines playing as a back-up ruckman all match was a curious choice.

Just about everyone in the football world expected Collingwood to be breathing fire after its 52-point shellacking by GWS in Sydney during Opening Round.

Yet the Magpies’ hunger seemed to catch the Power by surprise at times and the visitors could not match their fight or workrate.

Port players were caught so often holding the ball.

“They’ve beaten them with the ball and they’ve beaten them without the ball tonight,” Dunstall said.

“They are bullying Port Adelaide.”

Dan Houston was now Port Adelaide’s problem. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

The Power was often criticised for being too predictable during the Charlie Dixon era.

But the now-retired 200cm spearhead always provided a target, usually at least bringing the ball to ground and he was regularly high up among the AFL’s contested mark leaders.

Port overlooked Ollie Lord at selection and without him, Dixon or Todd Marshall, sidelined with a long-term injury, its attack looked out of sorts.

Mitch Georgiades, now the Power’s best forward, could not get into the game (seven disposals).

Jack Lukosius is on the scoreboard in his new colours 👊#AFLPiesPowerpic.twitter.com/j9ifWQZxh0

— AFL (@AFL) March 15, 2025

Port Adelaide celebrates Jack Lukosius’s first goal for the club. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Even if the group could be somewhat excused because of poor forward 50 entries.

“They’re out of sync,” Dunstall said.

“They’ve got no flow or connection when they go forward of the football.”

Hinkley said of the Power’s attack on Wednesday: “It’ll probably be a little clunky at different times, particularly early, but we’re learning our way through that.

“It’ll certainly be slightly different, but we look forward to what the new looks like and we’ll find out under real pressure on Saturday night”.

They, like the team, failed their first test.

Does Port persist with that group or call-up Lord for some more height?

Hinkley’s side took just two contested marks for the game, compared to Collingwood’s 11.

That is the Power’s only game scheduled at the MCG this year.

It is very early days, but Hinkley’s side will need to improve markedly otherwise it will not return there this season.

Originally published as AFL Round 1 Collingwood v Port Adelaide: ‘Embarrassing’ Power handed huge reality check at the MCG