Port Adelaide officials have word with Warren Tredrea to be more careful when talking about the club in the media
Port Adelaide officials have spoken with board member Warren Tredrea following his ‘good call’ comment to a radio caller abusing Ken Hinkley. See what was said here.
Port Adelaide officials have spoken with board member Warren Tredrea about being more careful when commenting about club matters on radio.
The Power have not threatened Tredrea or tried to gag him but have reminded the champion forward about his obligations as a board member.
Port is keen to avoid another on-air controversy involving Tredrea as the club prepares to take on the Western Bulldogs, which smashed Port in the 2021 preliminary final by 71 points.
Tredrea was forced to clarify his position after saying “good call” to an angry Port fan who labelled coach Ken Hinkley a “con artist” and “delusional” following the heavy loss to Brisbane Lions two rounds ago.
Hinkley fought back tears in a Fox Footy interview with Sarah Jones after leading Port to a two-point win over St Kilda on Sunday amid fierce speculation about his future.
Tredrea explained his “good call” comment was an acknowledgment of the caller rather than endorsement after an enquiry from Port chief executive Matthew Richardson.
But the situation did nothing to enhance the relationship between Tredrea, one of the club’s greatest ever players, and its current coach Hinkley who is in his 12th year in charge.
Tredrea, who said in April last year Hinkley’s position “looks untenable”, was voted on to Port’s board earlier this year.
Port is adamant Hinkley, who has a 61 per cent winning record across his AFL coaching career but has yet to get past the preliminary final stage, has the full support of his players and the board in his 12th season as senior coach. He is contracted until the end of next season.
SELECTION TALK
- Simeon Thomas-Wilson
Port Adelaide assistant coach Tyson Goldsack says the Power will consider whether it goes with two key defenders going forward after the success it had with the decision against St Kilda.
Esava Ratugolea’s hamstring injury suffered at training last week meant the Power went with two tall defenders in Aliir Aliir and Brandon Zerk-Thatcher against the Saints on Sunday at Marvel Stadium.
The duo had their best games of the season so far and despite the Power’s highly publicised move to bolster its key defensive stocks, it has now prompted debate about whether Port should return to going with two tall defenders in the second half of the season.
With then captain Tom Jonas out of form and out of the side for much of last year the Power mainly went with two key defenders.
Goldsack said that was a consideration for the Power, and it was one before Ratugolea got injured.
“We definitely considered it at the start of last week, what our best makeup looks like and how can we compliment two talls if we have two, what do we need to put around three talls if we have three,” he said.
“As a defence you have to be a little bit dependent on who you are playing so we will take that into consideration as to if we go with two or three.
“We went with two on the weekend and it worked well for us, we defended really well and guys like Lachie Jones and Logan Evans can play taller so we have guys who can play on whoever is down there.
“It gives us great flexibility.”
Goldsack said the new makeup in defence had probably challenged Aliir.
“We speak a lot about players who come in and them having to find their groove in a new team but sometimes it's the other way around and the guys who were here need to figure out how it sits for them,” he said.
“I thought he was fantastic on the weekend, had a huge amount of energy.”
Ratugolea will miss this weekend’s clash against the Western Bulldogs with his hamstring injury.
Willie Rioli will be available after a calf injury, then illness, with Todd Marshall cleared of any injury to his hamstring.
The ugly two-point win over the Saints resulted in an emotional on-ground interview by Ken Hinkley - after a week in which pressure and speculation over his status and future as senior coach reached fever pitch.
Goldsack said Hinkley was “OK” when he was at Alberton in the week before the Saints game, but the pressure would have impacted him.
“I like it (the emotion), the question is why and everyone thinks of the of the obvious but he just wants to see his players succeed and get the reward that they deserve after the hard work that they put in,” he said.
“I think it is probably more from that perspective, where it is good to see us win. Obviously it is a high pressure environment but just to see them succeed and hopefully put us one step closer to finals.
“Inside the walls once he got to the club he was OK. On the Monday he walked in and he was happy to be here and ready to get stuck into what we needed to work on.
“But no doubt it takes its toll, you wouldn’t be human if it didn’t the amount of noise that is around.
“We hear it, it is hard to not hear it, but he handles himself very well and he just continued to turn up and help the place be a better place and hopefully reach success.”
The last time the Power played at Adelaide Oval, fans booed Hinkley as Port were humiliated by Brisbane.
Goldsack said there was no wariness about this.
“Not really, none that would take away from the want to perform to a level that we expect of each other,” he said.
“Whether that is here at Adelaide Oval or interstate we just want to show up and continue to build on the weekend.”
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