Careers of some players hanging in balance with two games left in Power’s season, says Hinkley

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has made it clear there are players whose future with the club will hang on the final two matches of the season, after his team’s dismal 40-point loss on Saturday night.

Honest appraisal ... Ken Hinkley with his players during the loss to Melbourne. He says some careers are in the balance over the next two weeks. Picture: Sarah Reed

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has made it clear there are players whose future with the club will hang on the final two matches of the season, after his team’s dismal 40-point loss to Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.

It was the first time the Power had lost to the Demons in Adelaide since 2000.

And Hinkley said he was prepared for questions to come over his own performance as senior coach, conceding it had now been a long time since he had enjoyed sustained success at Alberton.

Hinkley said it was “accurate” rather than too dramatic to state that there were those who would be playing for their Port Adelaide careers in next week’s Showdown and the club’s final match of the year against Gold Coast.

“It’s accurate; it’s what happens,” Hinkley said. “It’s why you don’t make decisions now.

“It’s why you look at every opportunity and then you see what the potential (is) of some people.

“I think it’s whether they’ve got the capabilities to help us improve.

“Sometimes you’ve got to make some decisions and you’ve got to be bold with your decisions.

“You’ve got to be brave with your list management. They are the things we’ve talked about.

“But look, we’re not the only club talking like that, though. We’ve seen some of the movement already over the past few days.

“It’s going to be a very active list management season and we will be a part of that.”

Hinkley was also quick to take responsibility for a second season out of the finals after beginning his tenure so well as senior AFL coach.

Hinkley is contracted until the end of 2018.

“I think they’re fair to ask; I don’t think there’s anything wrong with asking the questions,” Hinkley said. “I’m the coach of the club that’s been inconsistent.

“It starts and ends with me and the questions I ask myself are not that dissimilar every day.

“Am I doing as much as I possibly can to give this team the best opportunity to be the best we can possibly be?

“And if I can ask those questions, and be honest with them, I’ll find room to improve.

“I won’t shy away from saying, ‘You know what, I had some happy times a long, long time ago but now I’m dealing with really tough times and I’m going to challenge myself to be a better coach right now.’ ”

Originally published as Careers of some players hanging in balance with two games left in Power’s season, says Hinkley