Hinkley demands ‘good old-fashioned’ football to make Port Adelaide fans proud
PORT Adelaide is still in the hunt for finals, but coach Ken Hinkley is more concerned with “representing Port Adelaide people”. Michelangelo Rucci reports.
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PORT Adelaide’s chase for an unlikely AFL finals berth remains alive — at least mathematically — after the 38-point win against also-ran Richmond at Adelaide Oval on Friday night that again squares the Power’s win-loss count, now at 7-7.
But for senior coach Ken Hinkley, the next eight weeks of the home-and-away season need to be about “representing the Port Adelaide people”.
And he wants this to be based on “good old-fashioned” football and hard work that was highlighted on Friday night by a season-high 106 tackles.
“When we do it — and do it really well and consistently well — we know what (Port Adelaide football) looks like,” said Hinkley. “We actually know what it looks like, but doing it consistently is still the challenge.”
Port Adelaide’s game-defining second term — that had the Power score the first seven goals of the quarter — was labelled by Hinkley as “good a quarter we’ve played, considering the (wet) conditions”.
“It started off Robbie Gray’s tackle — the tackle in the middle of the ground which was significant to us,” Hinkley said.
“The tackle on the inside (of the contest) really got us going because it led to Chad Wingard’s goal. our tackling does show our intent. And when our intent is high, we play pretty well.”
Port Adelaide on Thursday night returns to Adelaide Oval to chase its third consecutive win against AFL premier Hawthorn — and first win for the season against a top-eight side.
“We have to be able to repeat (tonight’s performance),” Hinkley said. “That is the key thing for us — and I just said it to them: I’m proud of the way we were able to play tonight, but I challenge you to keep backing it up.”
Hinkley on Friday night gave another major endorsement of his first-year defender Darcy Byrne-Jones by declaring he should be the leading contender for the AFL Rising Star award as the rookie of the year.
“No-one (of the rookies across the AFL) has played better footy,” said Hinkley, admitting his view could be tainted by his constant watching of Byrne-Jones.
“He was a late pick in the draft, but he looks like one of the first five we pick. He has become a significant player in our side.”
Port Adelaide made a late change before the game, losing key defender Jack Hombsch, who was to have returned after missing three matches with a hamstring strain suffered late in the win against Melbourne at Alice Springs a month ago.
Hombsch strained a quad when trying a short kick at the Power’s indoor training facility at Alberton on Thursday and is highly unlikely to play against the Hawks.
“I wouldn’t think he’d play — the scans show it is not a short-term injury,” Hinkley said.
At 6-8, Richmond is clearly out of finals contention — and coach Damien Hardwick has conceded.
“We are not good enough to play finals,” Hardwick said on Friday night.
“The way we have played, we have not played well enough all year.”
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
Originally published as Hinkley demands ‘good old-fashioned’ football to make Port Adelaide fans proud
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