Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley issues strong warning to Power players on what his AFL club expects off the field
PORT Adelaide midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper may have to wait longer to return to the Power line-up as coach Ken Hinkley delivered a strong message to his players on off-field behaviour, but dismissed a culture issue at Alberton.
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PORT Adelaide midfielder Sam Powell-Pepper is no guarantee of returning to the Power line-up for the AFL Anzac Round as investigations continue into his behaviour on the city nightclub circuit at the weekend.
Powell-Pepper, 20, will miss Sunday’s away clash with Essendon at Etihad Stadium for breaching team rules - in particular breaking the 2am curfew and excessive drinking in the hours after the Power’s five-point win against Brisbane at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.
Port Adelaide’s leadership group still needs to wait on an AFL and club investigation into claims from a 20-year-old university student on how the second-year midfielder allegedly inappropriately touched her in the Mr Kim’s nightclub on Sunday morning.
Powell-Pepper is denying he harassed women at the nightclub. Even if found innocent, the AFL could demand Powell-Pepper enroll in the league’s “respect and responsibility” courses.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley on Thursday emphasised his concern with the allegations by avoiding public judgment on the issue.
“The allegation is really serious - and I am being respectful to everyone involved,” Hinkley said. “I should leave it at that.”
But Hinkley was very strong on how he expects Powell-Pepper and his team-mates to behave in public. He also defended the Power players as questions linger about their culture after the team has been embroiled in five off-field issues in the past 16 months.
Hinkley was stern on his view on Powell-Pepper. He said: “Sam has to own what the behaviour was. Like any young person, he will learn from his mistakes.
“That is part of the journey of life - and not just in a football club. You make mistakes. But the most important thing is you have to own (those mistakes); you have to stand up and own what you have done.”
Of the culture of the Power players, Hinkley said: “To be fair, some (of those incidents) recently have shown up some players (Jackson Trengove and Patrick Ryder) were quite innocent.
“I don’t like it at any stage. We as a club don’t like it at any stage - and we do everything we can to make sure we limit any of these things happening to us at any time, now or in the future.
“It is a disappointing thing for us to deal with - it has been a challenge for (football chief) Chris Davies in particular.
“We know now that Sam has gone outside some team trademarks that we would like to represent,” added Hinkley, “and he is going to the price this week.
“Sam has to understand his obligation as part of the Port Adelaide Football Club - and that is really clear for all our players. I don’t say they won’t make mistakes ... but Sam needs to work with what we do when we represent our community.
“And we represent our community in a proud way. And what Sam did the other night was not a proud way.”
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
Originally published as Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley issues strong warning to Power players on what his AFL club expects off the field