Port Adelaide board member Warren Tredrea clarifies response to Power fan’s Ken Hinkley outburst

When a Power fan labelled Ken Hinkley a ‘con artist’ in an emotional radio outburst, board member Warren Tredrea responded with ‘good call’. But there is far more to the story.

Port Adelaide premiership captain and board member Warren Tredrea has moved to clarify his response to a call on radio that slammed Power senior coach Ken Hinkley, chairman David Koch and called for senior assistant Josh Carr to be given a run coaching the team for the rest of the season.

Tredrea described his reaction of “good call” as an “acknowledgment” of what was a “pretty ruthless” call that occurred on Monday on the FIVEaa Sports Show – which he is co-hosting this week.

The footage was quickly picked up by Channel 9’s Footy Classified show on Monday evening, as pressure rises on the Power and Hinkley, following the heavy loss to Brisbane on Saturday – Port’s third defeat in a row.

On Tuesday, Tredrea began the show on FIVEaa saying he quickly moved on Monday to clarify that he was not endorsing the views in the call and this was ignored in the ensuing coverage.

Warren Tredrea and David Koch earlier this year. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Ken Hinkley and Josh Carr after the loss to Brisbane. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

The Power fan who called in labelled Hinkley a “con artist” and “delusional”, declared his position was “even more untenable now”, chairman David Koch wouldn’t admit he made a mistake in re-signing Hinkley last year and that senior assistant Josh Carr should get an audition to coach the club for the rest of the season.

Tredrea said station management had issued directions to let callers keep talking.

“We had multiple callers who were emotional callers, let’s put it that way,” he said.

“Port fans weren’t happy with things, one was pretty ruthless and I acknowledged the caller by saying “oh good call” and then we move onto the next call.

“For anyone who thought that was an endorsement, it was not an endorsement.”

Tredrea confirmed he was contacted by Power chief executive Matthew Richardson, following the call.

“The chain of events were that I got a message from CEO Matthew Richardson who listened in because he got a message from Footy Classified,” he said.

“Richo called me back and said “mate I heard you say good call, that was just an acknowledgment of the call?” and I said “yeah, yeah”.

“So I then said to the club I was happy to come back after the six o’clock news, and I dropped it in there and said ‘hang on just so people know this is not an endorsement, please don’t read anything into this’, we ask people to ring in and we acknowledge their call.

“I explained that last night, Footy Classified were aware that I had clarified my situation and it was not an endorsement but they still chose to run with a hit-piece story, which I thought was pretty poor and surprising.

“The reality is it was an acknowledgment, it was not an endorsement.”

Tredrea joined the Port Adelaide board in February. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

Tredrea joined the Port Adelaide board in February, after winning a highly-publicised member election against fellow club great Bruce Abernethy.

He had been arguably the biggest critic of the club and Hinkley in recent years but since joining people such as Eddie McGuire at Collingwood, Mark Ricciuto at Adelaide, Luke Darcy at the Bulldogs, Leigh Matthews at Brisbane, James Brayshaw at North Melbourne and Jimmy Bartel at GWS in balancing a board role at a club with media commitments he has been supportive of the Power this year.

A member of the football committee at Alberton, Tredrea said they were “trying to make the club better”.

“I think a lot of people didn’t realise that I clarified my situation last night, they just go on what they see on TV,” he said.

“And that was the disappointing thing because I was like hang on it could be taken wrong, glad the club called.
“I went nah I’ll set the record straight, there is nothing in this, I’ve been open and honest

but to try and drive a wedge between me and others at the club when there has been a breaking of the bread, we are trying to make the club better.

“I don’t agree with that one.”

Originally published as Port Adelaide board member Warren Tredrea clarifies response to Power fan’s Ken Hinkley outburst