AFL Richmond v Port Adelaide 2023: All the latest news, analysis and fallout

Ken Hinkley led Port Adelaide to its eighth straight win but says he doesn’t feel like his coaching with any added freedom as he waits to learn his fate.

Ronny Lerner

7 min read

May 28, 2023 - 10:04PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

Damien Hardwick with a different kind of pre-game preparation. Picture: Twitter

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Despite enjoying the equal-second best start to a season in his 11th year as Port Adelaide coach, Ken Hinkley says the pressure of the job made it hard to sleep some nights.

Hinkley’s contractual situation at the Power has been one of the most fascinating storylines of the 2023 season.

He is out of contract at the end of the year, yet has his team sitting in the top three nearing the halfway mark of the campaign, having just guided the Power to eight consecutive wins for the first time since 2014 in defeating Richmond by 10 points at the MCG on Sunday.

The Power’s performance has undoubtedly put Hinkley in a strong position, with the three-time preliminary final coach strongly tipped to coach elsewhere next year if his current employers opt against re-signing him.

Although the situation has sharpened Hinkley’s week-to-week approach to his job, he dismissed suggestion that he felt as though he was coaching with added freedom.

“I don’t feel like the shackles have been released,” he smiled.

“It wasn’t that long ago there wasn’t much going in my favour, or the club’s favour.

“Footy never makes you feel comfortable, people don’t quite believe it sometimes I reckon, but it’s a high-pressure game – we’ve seen with what’s going on around the industry,” he said in reference to Richmond coach Damien Hardwick’s abrupt resignation this week, and North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson’s decision to take an indefinite break from the job the week before.

“It’s a great game to be involved in, I still love it as much as I did a long time ago ... but it does create pressure. I’ll be honest – it’s not always easy to sleep. That’s what life does.”

Ken Hinkley was all smiles after another Power win. Picture: Michael Klein

The Power have emerged as a surprise premiership chance this year after failing to make the finals last season, but Hinkley was reluctant to take credit for his team’s rapid rise.

“I love how everyone thinks I’m coaching great,” he laughed.

“Doesn’t winning make you a great coach? I tell you what, losing makes you a pretty average coach too, more often than not.

“I’m being supported incredibly well by a whole footy club and my coaching team, it’s not (just) me that’s coaching well, I’ve got this incredible group that are coaching unbelievable well.

“(I’m) so proud of the way they, as a group of coaches that support me, are doing such great job and (football manager) Chris (Davies).

“I am enjoying my opportunity to coach this great footy club with great people and now an outstanding young group of players. How could you not enjoy it?”

Hinkley might be facing an uncertain future, but he reiterated that he believed his club took a strong approach on how to handle the final year of his contract.

“We set up what our expectation was as a football club around my position,” said Hinkley, who this year became the first coach in VFL-AFL history to reach the 11th year of his first coaching job without winning a flag.

Sam Powell-Pepper nabs Tiger Jack Ross. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“It’s bigger than me, and I think that’s what’s really important – it’s around what the footy club is trying to achieve.

“We’re chasing a successful season, we’re not going to get distracted by things that we can’t control.

“We do chase silverware and we won’t give up from chasing.”

The Power’s win over the Tigers was their fourth road victory of the year, and Hinkley believes that fact will only enhance their pursuit of success this year.

“I think they build seasons,” Hinkley said of their wins outside of Adelaide.

He also said Port would be looking at picking up another player in this week’s mid-season draft.

“Hopefully there’s someone there that can help us and a high-quality person,” Hinkley said.

The Power might be knee-deep in the hunt for a top-four spot this year, but Hinkley said that wouldn’t make them take a short-term view to the mid-season draft.

Port makes it eight in a row against spirited Tigers

Port Adelaide has continued its charge towards the top of the ladder after seeing off a spirited Richmond challenge to down the Tigers by 10 points at the MCG on Sunday.

The Power, who adopted the Indigenous name Yartapuulti, accounted for the Tigers 10.17 (77) to 9.13 (67), to register eight consecutive wins for the first time since 2014 – a year in which they made it to a preliminary final – and make a mockery of club legend Warren Tredrea describing coach Ken Hinkley’s tenure as “untenable”.

The result meant Richmond couldn’t make a successful start to their post-Damien Hardwick era, five days after the triple premiership coach announced his immediate resignation.

When Port Adelaide kicked five consecutive goals to open up a 26-point lead early in the second quarter, it looked like the Power were headed for a massive win.

But Richmond responded by getting their running/transition game going and on the back of a sharp spike in handballs, they cut the deficit to just two points early in the final quarter.

The Tigers ramped up their pressure markedly, too, as the Power suffered badly from the yips, scoring 3.14 from their next 17 shots after kicking their fifth goal in the opening term.

But a pair of majors from Ollie Lord and Jeremy Finlayson in the last quarter steadied the ship as Port’s lead extended to 17 points, thanks largely to their midfield’s clearance domination in the final term.

Zak Butters was brilliant again in another Port Adelaide win. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Despite the result, Richmond recruit Tim Taranto played the game of his career, racking up 33 disposals (12 contested), seven clearances and four goals to be the best player on the ground.

For the winners, Zak Butters continued his rich vein of form by accumulating 32 touches (14 contested) and a goal, while Kane Farrell, Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis also ensured a strong performance from Port Adelaide’s midfield, as they comfortably won the clearances 37-29, inside-50s 67-45 and scoring shots 27-20.

Down back, Aliir Aliir was magnificent, rendering Richmond spearhead Jack Riewoldt ineffectual while repelling numerous Tigers forward forays.

ALIIR STANDS TALL

Early in the final term, with Richmond trailing by just two points, the Tigers threatened to grab the lead when Jack Ross kicked the ball forward. Aliir was there to save the day for Port, taking the mark sandwiched between Jack Graham and Riewoldt. From the ensuing transition, Lord converted the set shot to put the Power up by eight points, when they so easily could have found themselves four points down moments earlier.

Aliir Aliir outmarks Samson Ryan. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

McKENZIE TO THE RESCUE

And with 3:15 left in the game, Taranto looked like he kicked another goal to get his team back within 11 points. However, a lunging dive from Trent McKenzie on the goal line ensured the ball was touched and spared the Power from contending with a nervous finish.

WASTEFUL TIGERS

The Tigers started the second term stronger but for all their domination, wasted numerous shots at goal, kicking a horrible 2.7 to trail by 11 points at halftime when they probably should have been in front. The Power had their fair share of chances too, managing just five behinds for the quarter. The worst of Richmond’s misses was a straightforward set shot from Riewoldt from 25m out directly in front which he sprayed to the right.

Tim Taranto celebrates one of his four goals for the Tigers. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

TARANTO’S SUPERB SNAPS

Taranto’s finishing has come under question this year, but in a sea of wasted chances in front of goal his radar was spot on. After Richmond started the second term with just one goal from their first seven scoring shots, they desperately needed a goal to get reward for all their hard work, and Taranto was the man who delivered. Just before time on, the former Giant grabbed the ball and produced a brilliant snap from the pocket on a very sharp angle to get the Tigers within 11 points. And when Richmond needed another goal badly in the third term after slumping to 4.12, it was Taranto again who produced the goods, snapping magnificently from 40m out on the boundary to get his team back within 10 points.

HARDWICK TRIBUTE

At the 17-minute mark of the first quarter, the Richmond fans in attendance gave a round of applause to Hardwick to recognise his enormous contribution to the club. The No.17 was chosen in honour of the 2017 premiership which Hardwick oversaw, ending Richmond’s famous 37-year premiership drought.

The Richmond cheer squad’s tribute to Damien Hardwick. Picture: Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

TIGERS 1.3, 3.10, 6.12, 9.13 (67)

POWER 5.4, 5.9, 7.14, 10.17 (77)

LERNER’S BESTTigers: Taranto, Broad, Bolton, Nankervis, Balta, Prestia, D.Rioli. Power: Butters, Aliir, Farrell, Rozee, Houston, Horne-Francis, Lycett.

GOALS Tigers: Taranto 4, Martin 2, Bolton, Ryan, Clarke. Power: McEntee, Burton, Wines, Mead, Byrne-Jones, Drew, Butters, Lord, Finlayson, Horne-Francis.

UMPIRES Fisher, Stephens, Wallace, McGinness

VENUE MCG

PLAYER OF THE YEAR

LERNER’S VOTES

3 Tim Taranto (Rich)

2 Zak Butters (PA)

1 Aliir Aliir (PA)

Dimma’s hilarious show of social media support

It’s not his side anymore, but Damien Hardwick is itching to see Richmond in action.

Just five days after calling time on his illustrious coaching career, Hardwick was decked out in his Tigers gear … only this time he will be watching on as a fan.

The three-time premiership coach had a beer in hand next to his dog on the couch in the post as he prepares to watch the Tigers — led by interim coach Andrew McQualter — up against Port Adelaide at the MCG.