Former VFL champ Rene Kink pleads guilty to driving while suspended

A former Collingwood star who bagged goals and brutalised rivals is facing a stint in the clink if he makes another road clanger.

Rene Kink back in his Collingwood VFL playing days.

Former VFL cult hero Rene Kink faces a stint in the clink if he continues to be a menace on the roads.

The ex-Collingwood big rig known as The Incredible Hulk was warned by a magistrate another driving ruckus and he could be booted into jail.

Kink, 64, who pleaded guilty in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Thursday to two counts of driving while suspended, was pulled over unlicensed at Docklands in March 2019.

Kink — who also made his name playing fictional Magpie hard man “Tank O’Donohue” in the 1980 movie The Club — was unlicensed due to “breaching a demerit bond”.

Kink, who also pulled on the boots for Essendon and St Kilda during his 181-game career, told the cops he was “not aware” his licence was suspended.

King was nicknamed The Inceredible Hulk.

King also played “Tank O’Donohue” in the 1980 movie The Club.

Kink, who appeared via his lawyer’s office, confirmed he had activated the demerit option.

Kink was stung by police again driving unlicensed through Wangaratta North on November 29 last year.

Again Kink told police he wasn’t aware his licence was suspended just after they pulled him over on Federation Way and activated bodycams.

Kink’s licence was disqualified by a magistrate in February this year after he failed to rock up to court.

But Kink, who kicked 280 VFL goals, convinced a magistrate to give him another shot.

Bernie Balmer, for Kink, said his client had broken up with his partner of 20 years and he had recently moved back to Melbourne from Wangaratta which caused him to miss court.

The court was told Kink shifted homes several times before landing a stable home in Port Melbourne.

Kink, who the court heard has other prior driving offences, hasn’t driven for 86 days but Mr Balmer urged the court to reinstate his client’s licence so he can get back to work.

The court heard Kink earns $800 per week selling swimming pools but work dipped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kink in action in 1980.

Magistrate Angela Bolger let Kink back on the road but warned him this was his last chance.

“It’s his responsibility to make sure that he’s properly licenced on each occasion he gets back behind the wheel of a car,” Magistrate Bolger said.

“And if he were to come back again with a charge of driving while suspended or disqualified he faces the very real prospect of a term of imprisonment.”

Kink has been unlucky on the road but was arguably unluckier on the field after playing in five losing Grand Finals for Collingwood and Essendon.

Kink was on Essendon’s list in 1984 but missed the premiership due to injury.

Kink transferred to St Kilda where he played a handful of games before retiring at the end of the 1986 season.

Kink was convicted and fined an aggregate of $1200.

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