’Really pleasing’: Port Adelaide shakes off nightmare start to season

Port Adelaide has shaken off its nightmare start to the AFL season and recorded a win at the expense of the West Coast Eagles.

Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley had plenty of reasons to feel relieved as he left Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, but chief among them were the Power were no longer winless, Ollie Wines made a successful return after a heart scare and Robbie Gray’s knee injury wasn’t too bad.

Under-pressure Port was bottom of the ladder without a win heading into the clash against West Coast but got its season on track with a confidence-boosting 84-point win.

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Beating up a Covid-stricken opponent is by no means a clear sign that the Power’s finals tilt is back on but it’s a start.

“We certainly continued our improvement – I thought that was really pleasing for us and desperately needed,” Hinkley said.

“We took a step forward.

“We knew where we were at and we stuck to task.

“Just us sticking together probably pleased me the most because we’ve been in a pretty challenging spot for a good period.

“I’m really proud of the whole footy club and the team.

“We’ve just got to stay in the moment and stay focused on how we can improve and we’ll be okay.

“But we know we’ve put ourselves behind the eight-ball by a fair way.”

Rozee was named best on ground. (Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Hinkley was delighted for Connor Rozee, who amassed a career-high 32 possessions to win the Peter Badcoe VC Medal.

Wines was also a key contributor with 33 touches in his first game since being hospitalised with atrial fibrillation after the round four loss to Melbourne.

“Ollie would’ve been nervous having had to deal with some of the stuff he’s had to deal with over the last fortnight,” the coach said.

“Clearly, he had a lot on his mind but he said that at about quarter-time he started to feel like everything was all right and away he went.”

Hinkley and the Power are finally in the winners circle (Photo by James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Gray was subbed out of the match in the third quarter, but is likely to make the trip to Cairns to take on St Kilda on Saturday night.

“Rob has just given his knee a little tweak again – nothing too bad I don’t think,” Hinkley said.

“I doubt that he would miss next week.

“He just wasn’t feeling right at halftime and we asked him to hang and see how he would go in the third quarter to maximise the time that we could use him on the ground knowing that if you get an injury early in the second half you don’t want to use your sub too early.

“And Rob was feeling like he could do enough, but we also knew he had some restrictions.”

Aliir Aliir rolled the ankle that kept him sidelined for three matches just before halftime, but played out the match and reported no ill effects.