Ken Hinkley admits Port’s pressure missing when Hawks came to play
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley always knew the Hawks would return to their ‘unsociable’ best, but claimed it wasn’t their opponents that allowed them to slip into a dangerous predicament.
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Ken Hinkley is the first to admit Port Adelaide is not producing its best footy but he was pleased it found a way to overcome obstacles including its own wayward kicking to win by 10 points on Saturday.
The Power booted 9.14 which almost cost it the game when the Hawks continued to challenge them late, but they managed to hold on to respond to last week’s disappointing loss to Geelong.
“We had a big battle and Hawthorn were giving their all, we’ve had a challenging week and continued the challenge with 9.14 and gave ourselves an opportunity to potentially lose the game,” Hinkley said.
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“But it was one of those great opportunities for us because we’re not playing our best footy — which is clear and obvious to everyone — but we’re finding a way to get through and like today we challenged ourselves, Hawthorn challenged us and we still found a way to get the four points which was really important.”
Hinkley said his animated quarter-time address was about asking his players to lift their urgency after a slow start.
“I thought some of our hunt and pressure was a bit off and to Hawthorn’s credit they were coming after us, and we need to make sure we are doing the challenging,” he said.
“And that’s our DNA, the way we play, we are nothing if we don’t pressure and that’s what I want our team to be — pressure, and when we turn the ball over I want us to be able to play exciting footy.”
Port looked most exposed when Hawthorn pierced its press up the ground and Hinkley said he did not want that to happen.
“They shouldn’t, that’s what we think, they shouldn’t be able to do that if we have our front half pressure and structures right,” he said.
“It’s not just the backine, the midline or the front line, it’s collectively together and if done well we’ve proven over the course of the season it’s hard to get through.
“If you look at the number that says how many times sides go from our forward 50 to their forward 50 we would lead the competition or be at least second, we restrict teams pretty well.”
Hinkley praised Zak Butters who kicked two game-defining goals including the last which was textbook crumbing at the top of the square.
“He’s got that potential to bring some real energy to the team, he’s a young player and they have freedom and Zak has great composure as well,” he said.
“He knows those moments he can step up and as I said to him after the game ‘great moment, his goal off that stoppage is a pretty special moment’, but he’s got lots to still learn and we are really glad he’s with our footy club.”
SIX REASONS WHY CLARKO IS NOT BLAMING LOSS ON FREES
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson refused to lay any blame on the lopsided free kick count and said he was encouraged by the performance of his emerging side after losing to ladder leader Port Adelaide by 10 points on Saturday.
The final free kick count was 20-8 in Port Adelaide’s favour after the Power enjoyed a 14-0 run in the second half.
But Clarkson said that was not why the Hawks lost the game.
“That’s just the swings and roundabouts of the game,” he said.
“Despite that we were even (on the scoreboard) at three-quarter-time and Port got their hands on the footy and that’s to their superior play, nothing to do with anything else.
“It was a tough contest, playing the top of the ladder side on their own patch and we really served it up to them.
“I’m sure Kenny (Hinkley) and the Port crew would breathe a sigh of relief that they got out of a game that threatened to be a risky one for them.
“We’re disappointed we couldn’t play four quarters and Port to their credit they’re a good side and when the game was on the line in the last quarter they were far too good for us, got their hands on the ball and kept it in their front half.”
The Hawks were criticised by Garry Lyon during the week for being too friendly in their loss to West Coast and while they appeared to play with a hard edge against the Power, Clarkson said he did not take any notice of the comments.
“More people cover AFL footy than federal politics,” he said.
“They’ve all got to have something to say to feel like they can retain their jobs that’s the game we’re in, it’s an opinions game and a great feature of our game so you just roll with the punches.
“I saw (Peter) Ladhams two weeks ago kick nearly goal of the year from the boundary line and Dylan Grimes was having a laugh with him in the goalsquare after that, but Richmond are one of the best sides in the competition so nothing gets said.
“You just roll on and it doesn’t affect the way we go about it”
Clarkson said he was encouraged by his team’s young players after making six changes at selection and the way others adapted to new roles such as Sam Frost locking down Charlie Dixon.
“I can’t remember the last time a Hawthorn side had six changes and they’re pretty important players to our structure — Smith who was already out, Frawley, Gunston, O’Meara, Sicily … Port have some out too,” he said.
“But all in one whack, I thought the guys who came in acquitted themselves really well.
“For our fans back home they would have seen Cousins and Howe play their first games for the year, Hartley played his first game for the year, and Frosty was terrific on Dixon tonight usually that role would go to Frawley.
“McEvoy in the ruck was really competitive and gave our guys a chance, Mitchell tackled really strongly and shared the ball with his teammates, so there is lots to be positive about.
“But we’re in the game to win and we’re disappointed we didn’t get there, but there’s enough to suggest a win will be just around the corner if we continue with that sort of endeavour.”
MATCH-WINNING BUTTERS SPARKS POWER IN HAWKS SCARE
When Port Adelaide needed a spark against Hawthorn on Saturday, not for the first time in his short career it was Zak Butters who brought it.
Ollie Wines, Tom Rockliff and Travis Boak lifted in the midfield but under the pump having conceded the first three goals when they were desperate to respond to last week’s 10-goal loss to Geelong, it was 19-year-old Butters who inspired them.
An animated address from coach Ken Hinkley at quarter-time led to Butters’ team-lifting tackle early in the second term when he ran down Changkuoth Jiath and then completed the classy set shot goal from 30m on a tight angle.
Butters stopped a Chad Wingard goal with a smother in the third quarter, then starting on the ball in the final term it was his textbook crumbing goal at full pace that sealed victory.
The Power didn’t look like the competition’s top side but that’s where they’ll stay after eventually overwhelming a brave Hawks side with repeat forward entries in the final term to win by 10 points.
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ANGRY BIRDS
After raising eyebrows with their smiling faces in last week’s loss to West Coast, the unsociable Hawks were back against Port Adelaide with plenty of niggle and aggression at the ball and the man.
Captain Ben Stratton found himself in a wrestle with Charlie Dixon, who had his elbow on Stratton’s head on the ground before his jumper was ripped off, and Liam Shiels was in a scrap with Tom Rockliff in the second quarter.
At halftime Shaun Burgoyne appeared to have words with Boak as the two times left the field, but their attack on the ball was just as good as evidenced by Jiath’s courage to stand under the footy as Darcy Byrne-Jones was coming for him in the last quarter.
Not many gave a young and under-strength Hawthorn side much hope against the Power but they put up a good fight.
Established stars Luke Breust, James Worpel and Tom Mitchell led the way and young players Oliver Hanrahan, Jack Scrimshaw and James Cousins joined in.
LESSONS LEARNT
After being blanketed by a web of Geelong defenders last week, Hawthorn deployed similar tactics on Dixon with several defenders flying against him in the air.
Sam Frost had the job for most of the day but Ben McEvoy often pushed back to fill the space in front of them and Dixon’s two goals both came courtesy of free kicks.
But this week he had support at ground level. Port Adelaide’s smalls went to work and Hawthorn’s focus on Dixon meant they were sagging off the likes of Robbie Gray who found space at the back of a pack for a goal in the second quarter. Boyd Woodcock also got into dangerous spots and was creative with the footy.
Similarly at the other end, Port Adelaide’s defence which was single-handedly smashed by Tom Hawkins last week collectively responded. Tom Clurey, Tom Jonas, Trent McKenzie and Jarrod Lienert were all solid in the win.
GENERAL PATTON RETURNS
Jonathon Patton made a welcome return to Hawthorn’s side in his first game since Round 6 having recovered from a hamstring injury.
The key forward, who provides a focal point for the Hawks’ attack, went goalless but his attack on the footy up the ground would have pleased fans. He took a contested mark then competed hard in the air at half-back and both times it led to a goal in the first quarter.
Patton a good battle with Clurey and took another strong mark on the lead on the wing in the second quarter and finished with only seven disposals but showed good signs.
Hawthorn’s forwards looked dangerous in space when their defence exited the backline quickly by piercing Port Adelaide’s press and it almost got them over the line.
PORT ADELAIDE 2.3 6.5 7.10 9.14 (68)
HAWTHORN 4.1 5.2 8.4 9.4 (58)
BEST
Port Adelaide: Boak, Butters, Rockliff, Powell-Pepper, Wines, McKenzie.
Hawthorn: Worpel, Breust, Mitchell, McEvoy, Frost, Scrimshaw.
GOALS
Port Adelaide: Dixon 2, Butters 2, Ebert, Gray, Amon, Woodcock, Georgiades.
Hawthorn: Wingard 2, O’Brien, Burgoyne, McEvoy, Breust, Hanrahan, Impey, Burgoyne.
VOTES:
3: Travis Boak (Power)
2: Zak Butters (Power)
1: James Worpel (Hawks)
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