Josh Carr to take over from Ken Hinkley as Port Adelaide coach at end of 2025 AFL season

Port Adelaide has confirmed our exclusive report that a coaching handover will take place between Ken Hinkley and Josh Carr. Here’s when and how it will happen.

Ken Hinkley is set to coach his final year at Port Adelaide after agreeing to pass the job to senior assistant Josh Carr at the end of the season.

The Power was preparing to unveil a coaching succession plan on Wednesday, ending 18 months of speculation about the duo’s futures.

Hinkley, who is the longest-serving AFL mentor in Port’s history, having been at Alberton since the end of 2012, will walk away from the role after the final year of his contract.

EXCLUSIVE: HOW WE REVEALED HINKLEY-CARR HANDOVER WAS ON

Carr will then become the Power’s fifth full-time senior coach from 2026 on a three-year deal.

Carr said it was an honour to be unveiled as the Power’s next coach but he’s there to support Hinkley this year in his current role as midfield coach.

“Ken is the senior coach. I will continue as coach of our midfield group and take every opportunity to develop and grow as a coach across this season,” he said.

The Power’s football committee was understood to have anointed the 2004 premiership midfielder as its next in line in August 2023, when he withdrew from the race to coach Richmond.

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch said the club had held talks with Hinkley over the off-season regarding the handover.

“Ken has had open communications with the club over the pre-season and confirmed that 2025 would be his last season as senior coach of Port Adelaide,” Mr Koch said.

“As is his way, Ken has put the club first in acknowledging we have a coach in waiting in Josh Carr who will be primed to lead the club in 2026.

“Without question, Ken is the senior coach for this season. Whilst Josh will be our senior coach in 2026, he remains focused on his role in supporting Ken in 2025 and will be perfectly positioned to transition into the senior role at the end of the season.”

Josh Carr and Hinkley speak during a game in 2023. Picture: Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Hinkley re-signed for two years that month and was believed to have been aligned with Carr on a handover from then.

The Advertiser last week revealed that the Power was pushing towards revealing the succession plan before the start of the season.

Port Adelaide officials had long stressed there was no formal handover arrangement, but had constantly spruiked Carr’s credentials as a future senior coach.

Carr played 124 games for the Power from 2000-04 and 2009-10, then started his coaching career at the club from 2011-15.

He then moved to SANFL club North Adelaide, guiding them to the 2018 flag, before becoming an assistant at Fremantle from 2020-22.

The West Australian returned to Port’s coaching box ahead of the 2023 season.

Hinkley has been at the helm for 274 matches, ranking 29th in VFL/AFL history for most games coached.

The Power was coming off a 14th-place finish when it hired him 12-and-a-half years ago and he had instant success, reaching a semi-final the next season to end Port’s six-year major-round drought.

Hinkley has coached in seven finals series, going as far as a preliminary final four times, including last year.

He said he was feeling refreshed and motivated to coach the side this year before handing over to Carr.

“I still have a burning desire to lead this club in 2025. I’m fresh and recharged and have the privilege of leading a very driven playing and coaching group,” Hinkley said.

“But come the end of the season, it will be time to hand the baton to Josh who would have experienced a further 12 months’ growth as a senior assistant. Without question, Josh will be ready to coach in his own right.”

The Power follows Sydney (John Longmire to Paul Roos; Longmire to Dean Cox), Collingwood (Mick Malthouse to Nathan Buckley), Melbourne (Roos to Simon Goodwin) and Hawthorn (Alastair Clarkson to Sam Mitchell) in having succession plans over the past 15 years.

Longmire handed the baton to Cox at the Swans in November.

Originally published as Josh Carr to take over from Ken Hinkley as Port Adelaide coach at end of 2025 AFL season