Ken Hinkley underfire for his comments to Hawk Jack Ginnivan after a fiery semi final at Adelaide Oval

Instead of mouthing off with the Power coach, a better use of James Sicily’s time might be to practice his goalkicking, writes the Editor.

After his future was in the spotlight all week, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley finds himself back in the media hot seat.

His post-game spray against Hawthorn livewire Jack Ginnivan had footy tongues wagging and sparked an AFL investigation.

After the Power’s thrilling semi-final win at Adelaide Oval on Saturday night, Hinkley made a point of reminding Ginnivan about his social media post suggesting the Hawks were a shoo-in to make the preliminary final.

Ken Hinkley gestures to Hawk Jack Ginnivan that he won't be on a flight to Sydney for the prelim final. Picture: Fox Footy.

The resulting altercation with Hawks skipper James Sicily made for dramatic television and the Port coach apologised minutes later both on national TV and at his press conference.

It wasn’t a great look but was hardly a hanging offence on Hinkley’s behalf.

The response of several media commentators and the Hawthorn Football Club hierarchy has been over the top.

The passion Hinkley showed is exactly what both his players and Port Adelaide fans have grown to love about him.

Ken Hinkley exchanges words with Hawthorn players after a famous semi final. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

He was contrite immediately afterwards and again yesterday on radio.

“It was a 30 second moment. I wish I could take it back,” he said on SEN.

But let’s not forget that the incident would never have happened if not for Ginnivan’s inflammatory comment on a Brodie Grundy post about how his team would be taking on the Swans next weekend.

Hawks coach Sam Mitchell hardly covered himself in glory in the post-match press conference, grumpily declaring: “We have a young player who had some very aggressive words said to him by a much older man who’s been in the game for a very long time.”

To suggest Ginnivan, an AFL player in his prime with 65 games of experience would be intimidated by a 57-year-old is laughable.

In pictures: The Power army at Adelaide Oval

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Bear in mind, also, that Mitchell, in his playing days, famously made light of the Essendon drugs saga by mimicking injecting himself in the arm on national television.

Sicily doubled down on his post-game actions at a press conference yesterday, where he again went in to bat for his young teammate.

“It’s not the first time Ken has done that, and it won’t be the last,” he said.

“I think those things are better done behind closed doors.”

Instead of sledging the Port Adelaide coach, a better use of Sicily’s time might be to practice his goalkicking after his last-minute miss essentially cost the Hawks’ the game on Friday night.

Originally published as Ken Hinkley underfire for his comments to Hawk Jack Ginnivan after a fiery semi final at Adelaide Oval