Port Adelaide footy boss Chris Davies responds to Kane Cornes’ fake Ken Hinkley theory
A Kane Cornes-led theory emerged this week that the Port Adelaide-Hawthorn stoush might be a case of mistaken identity. But does ‘Fake Ken’ Hinkley exist? Here’s the truth.
Has Hawthorn’s anger at Port Adelaide and Ken Hinkley been driven by the Hawks getting duped by a “fake Ken”?
Port Adelaide footy boss Chris Davies says he doesn’t know whether a case of mistaken identity has fuelled the ugly fallout from the semi-final clash between the Power and the Hawks, but said “it seems like if anyone can’t deal with it at the moment it is not us”.
Four-time Port Adelaide best and fairest Kane Cornes floated that some of Hawthorn’s previous gripes with Hinkley that emerged in the wake of the fiery semi-final between the two was actually a case of the Hawks believing the Power’s long-time interchange steward Paul Rizonico for the senior coach.
Davies said he wasn’t sure if the former Power champion had uncovered the reason for the growing feud, but said he let Cornes know it “was some of his best work”.
Hinkley was fined $20,000 for his verbal stoush with Hawks star Jack Ginnivan and captain James Sicily after the Power’s thrilling three-point win.
The following day Sicily said it was “not the first time Ken has done that and it won’t be the last”.
Members of the Hawks appeared to still be fuming with the fallout on Monday night at the Brownlow Medal.
On Tuesday, Cornes went on Footy Classified and said he believed it was a “fake Ken” that was behind what he claimed were frustrations from the Hawks regarding how Hinkley behaved after the Power’s come-from-behind one-point win over Hawthorn in Round 10.
The “fake Ken” identified was the Power’s long-time interchange stewart Rizonico, who has a likeness to Hinkley.
Before becoming the Power’s interchange steward, Rizonico won two SANFL premierships for Port after coming to SA from Collingwood.
When asked that if Rizonico was the “fake Ken”, Davies said he could only laugh after it was floated.
“The two people I really enjoy there, one is Rizz (Rizonico). I think he is a nine-time All-Australian interchange steward,” he said.
“He has done a fantastic job for us over time.
“I can’t really remember but what I do know is that I watched that segment from Kane the other night and could not stop laughing.
“I did text Kane not long after and said that was some of his best work.
“I know he did play 300 games here at Port Adelaide but maybe that topped some of it. I thought it was very funny, only topped by his stuff earlier on in the year.
“Look maybe Rizz is fake Ken, I don’t really know.”
The AFL is expected to take advantage of the growing feud between the two and has been urged to either schedule it in Round 1 at the MCG or as part of a prime time showing at next year’s Gather Round in Adelaide.
Davies said neither he nor Hinkley needed to repair a relationship with Hawthorn senior coach Sam Mitchell – who was fuming after the verbal stoush that took place following the game.
“It seems like if anyone can’t deal with it at the moment it is not us,” he said.
“I can’t imagine the next time the Hawthorn players are out there they are worried about Ken’s situation but who knows.”
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