AFL news 2023: Port Adelaide back Hinkley, put ball in Travis Boak’s court

Port Adelaide still believe Ken Hinkley is the right man for the job despite a semi-final exit as the Power coach deals with strong feedback heading into the off-season.

Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies says the club has no less faith that Ken Hinkley is the right coach to lead it to success after its straight-sets September exit.

Hinkley and the Power have come under fire in the wake of the 23-point home loss to GWS on Saturday night – the coach for again falling short of a flag decider in his sixth finals appearance and the club for re-signing him last month, before the major round.

Davies said criticism was natural, unavoidable and “doesn’t wash off of any of us easily, least alone Ken”.

But he said the club and Hinkley, who was locked in until the end of 2025, remained optimistic about what they could achieve over the next two years.

“Clearly there’s a want for this team to be better than what it is and the coach, myself and some others cop the brunt of that criticism,” Davies said.

“The reality is they’re two different questions: is Ken the coach for the future? Should we have re-signed Ken at a time where we think he is?

Ken Hinkley is being backed by Port Adelaide. Picture: Kelly Barnes

“That hasn’t changed.

“We’re clearly disappointed with how the end of the season went, but it doesn’t mean that we have any less faith in Ken to be the coach for us in the next two years.”

Port great and former board member George Fiacchi this week said the club should have waited until the end of the season to decide Hinkley’s future, even if it re-signed him.

Hinkley, who joined the Power ahead of the 2013 campaign, now has a 148-100 win-loss record (59.68 per cent), including 5-7 in finals and two major-round wins since 2014.

Davies said the team did not lose any edge because of the timing of Hinkley’s extension.

The long-time football general manager also had no doubt the Power could improve next year if it brought in key recruits.

Tall defenders Esasava Ratugolea (Geelong) and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (Essendon), along with ruckman Jordon Sweet (Western Bulldogs) have all requested trades to Alberton.

Davies said Hinkley was resilient and his determination to lead it to success had “not changed one bit” since the loss to the Giants.

“He’s absolutely committed to getting this group of players … who he largely picked in drafts and put a whole heap of faith in when maybe others would have or didn’t – he feels like he’s got a group to take the club forward,” he said.

PORT MAKE BIG CALL ON BOAK’S FUTURE

Port Adelaide has put the ball in Travis Boak’s court as to whether the club great plays next year.

Power football boss Chris Davies said the club would retain Boak if the 35-year-old wanted to continue into an 18th season.

Boak, a former captain, has told him he wants a fortnight to consider his future.

A day earlier, Port’s games record holder hinted another season was on the cards when he spoke about having “plenty in the body” and “fire in the belly”.

“Travis is thinking about whether he has the passion to continue to play,” Davies said on Wednesday.

“I can’t reiterate enough that if Travis wants to be at Port Adelaide next year as a player then he will be.”

Boak performed strongly in the club’s 23-point knockout semi-final loss to GWS on Saturday night to end an up-and-down personal season.

Travis Boak has a big decision to make. Picture: Getty Images

Having entered the campaign off the back of four consecutive top-two finishes in the best-and-fairest, he was shifted to a wing this year and was the substitute four times.

Davies said Boak, a three-time all-Australian, was definitely in Port’s AFL side at his best or a little below.

“I think someone like Travis deserves far better than to play footy at SANFL level and that’s not to be disrespectful to the SANFL,” he said.

“In these situations you’ll be honest with the player and say ‘we don’t want that’ but we also think you’ve still got some things to give us at AFL level.

“We’ve told Travis that if he wants to play, we want him to continue to play at Port Adelaide at AFL level, not be thinking about playing at SANFL level.

“We want him to have the best pre-season as he possibly can if he continues to play and be an integral member of our team, as he has been the last 16 seasons.

“Trav is an absolute star.

“The idea we can’t be honest with our people and have honest conversations … it’s not the way you want to approach these types of things.”

Boak has played 348 games for the Power since being drafted with pick 5 in the 2006 national draft.

He made clear on Tuesday that it was either Port or nowhere in 2024

Originally published as AFL news 2023: Port Adelaide back Hinkley, put ball in Travis Boak’s court