Leigh Matthews says Ken Hinkley should be embarrassed by clash with Hawks players after semi-final win
AFL legend Leigh Matthews has slammed Ken Hinkley’s post-match sledge aimed at Jack Ginnivan as the league weighs up whether to penalise the Power coach. HAVE YOUR SAY
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Four-time premiership coach Leigh Matthews says Ken Hinkley would be “embarrassed” for his verbal exchange with Hawthorn’s James Sicily and Jack Ginnivan after Friday’s thrilling semi-final win, but insisted he shouldn’t be sanctioned by the AFL.
But Matthews said Ginnivan “gift-wrapped” the motivation Hinkley and the Power needed to turn their finals campaign around, with his cheeky Instagram post to former Collingwood teammate Brodie Grundy during the week.
It comes as former greats Mick Malthouse and Dermott Brereton also criticised Hinkley’s postgame behaviour.
Speaking on 3AW, Matthews said coaches should never insert themselves into the conversation on the field, even after the final siren.
“Ken Hinkley would be embarrassed (by his actions),” Matthews said on 3AW.
“He was a smart arse at the time.”
“I don’t think it will go anywhere in terms of penalty of anything, but he should be embarrassed – and I think he would be – (because) he wasn’t calm, controlled or composed.
“As a senior coach, it’s different to the players. Whatever players do to each other is different … the off-field people are the off-field people.
“Don’t interfere with the players.
“Most coaches like to be calm and controlled on the outside, no matter what is going on the inside … coaches who can be emotionally volatile, it is not surprising their teams can be volatile in their performance.
“And Port Adelaide this year can be like that … they have been up and down like yoyos.”
Matthews conceded he had made a bad mistake at halftime in the 1990 grand final when he lashed out verbally at Essendon’s Terry Daniher after the Bombers star had knocked out Magpie Gavin Brown in the famous quarter-time brawl.
“I am probably being a hypocrite here … saying do what I am saying, not what I did,” he said when asked about the 1990 incident.
However Matthews said Ginnivan’s social media post to Sydney’s Grundy in the lead-up to the semi-final – suggesting he would see him in a preliminary final in a fortnight – provided Port Adelaide with added motivation.
“Port got the best out of themselves and no doubt the Ginnivan (post) was the gift-wrapped present which allowed Ken Hinkley to really get into them,” Matthews said on 3AW.
“And that was why, at the end of the game, it was still in (Hinkley’s) thinking. People around footy have said for a while ‘never give a sucker an even break’ or ‘never give the opposition anything’.
Mick Malthouse said on ABC Sport that Hinkley had done the wrong thing in getting into a verbal incident with the Hawks players.
“There is one thing you do as a coach when the game finishes (and that is) shut up,” Mick Malthouse said on ABC Sport.
“You never (leave) any ammunition for next time you play them or anything else.
“I know it is easy to say, but I have been around long enough and Ken Hinkley has been around long enough … that sort of emotion you take into the rooms and let your players analyse it and take it on-board.”
SEN’s Dermott Brereton said: “I thought it was absolutely dreadful … if I’m on the board, I’m calling him Sunday.”
“Players do what players do, they are young, and they show their expressions in different ways. A coach, once the final siren goes until the next siren goes next week, needs to portray the demeanour that he is beyond reproach.
“I think Ken is a wonderful fellow and it is great that he has apologised … but you cannot have a leader of 40-something men saying these types of things, behaving like this after the final siren.
“It showed a chink in his armour … his inability to control his emotions after a game.
“Be a humble loser, be a gracious winner. I come from a school where I have learnt from great men – John Kennedy Sr, Allan Jeans, Ron Barassi … you are gracious in winning.
“You cannot lead 40-something men if you behave like this.”
Carji Greeves: Scott says Cats won’t ‘blow up club’ with risks
Geelong Football Club’s night of nights has begun, and senior coach Chris Scott says the Cats must think laterally’ in its plans for 2025. Follow all the action from the night live here.
Final farewell? Cryptic Instagram like a further twist to Oliver saga
Clayton Oliver wants to leave Melbourne, but those around him still want the superstar midfielder to attend Friday’s B&F, even if he may have already let slip that he’s excited to be a Cat.