Power boss Matthew Richardson backs Ken Hinkley’s outburst toward Jack Ginnivan
Ken Hinkley has come under fire for his clash with Jack Ginnivan and James Sicily, but the Power’s boss has backed him to the hilt, saying his emotion is what the club loves about him.
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Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson says the club is not disappointed in senior coach Ken Hinkley or will speak to him about curtailing his emotions after he exchanged heated words with Hawthorn pair James Sicily and Jack Ginnivan.
Hinkley was issued with a ‘please explain’ by the AFL on Saturday for his involvement in a fiery conclusion to Friday night’s semi-final clash at Adelaide Oval.
The Power senior coach, 57 and in his 12-season in the role, first made a mocking plane gesture towards Ginnivan in reference to his Instagram comment during the week that he would be seeing former teammate Brodie Grundy in an SCG preliminary final.
He then had words with Hawks captain Sicily, who doubled down on his defence of Ginnivan on Saturday morning before he flew back to Melbourne, moments before Luke Bruest was about to be chaired from the field after his 300th game.
Hinkley faces a financial sanction from the AFL, if he was found guilty in the league’s investigation, but nothing will be handed down on Saturday.
The Power senior coach conceded on Saturday morning that he wished he could take back the incident after his emotions spilt over following the thrilling win.
In his interview on SEN, Hinkley said he had always been an emotional coach but it could also be a “weakness” at times.
On Saturday Richardson said Hinkley’s heart on his sleeve approach was what the club loved about him, and his actions had not taken any gloss off what was a famous Power finals win.
“No, I thought it was an incredible win and I thought our leaders were outstanding in the way they stepped up and set the tone,” he said.
“It was an incredible game of footy, it could have gone either way.
“Ken addressed it after the game in his press conference and with us. He knew that he stepped over the line, he was responding to a social media post early on in the week.
“It is one of the things that we love about Ken, he cares deeply about his players, he cares deeply about his footy club and sometimes that emotion comes out but that is one the things that we love about Ken.”
Hawks legend Dermott Brereton said on SEN that if he was on the Power’s board, he would be calling Hinkley.
“I think Ken is a wonderful fellow and it is great that he has apologised … but you cannot have a leader of 40-something men saying these types of things, behaving like this after the final siren,” he said.
“It showed a chink in his armour … his inability to control his emotions after a game.”
Richardson said the Power had spoken with the AFL on Saturday after the ‘please explain’ was issued.
He said he was unsure what sort of penalty Hinkley faced.
“They have just asked for some extra details and they aren’t really any different to the details Ken provided himself last night,” he said.
“That is for the AFL, we provided that extra information and we will wait and see.”
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