Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies on his future, whether Ken Hinkley will coach in 2025

Is change coming at Port Adelaide after another finals failure? Power footy boss Chris Davies opens up on his future – amid links to Collingwood – and that of coach Ken Hinkley.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 20: Ken Hinkley, Senior Coach of the Power looks on during the 2024 AFL First Preliminary Final match between the Sydney Swans and the Port Adelaide Power at The Sydney Cricket Ground on September 20, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies says he has seen nothing to suggest senior coach Ken Hinkley may walk away from the role ahead of the final season of his contract.

Reports this past week stated people close to Hinkley would not be shocked if he stepped down after a campaign in which he faced constant speculation about his job despite guiding the club to a preliminary final and that the 57-year-old would take an extended break to mull over his future.

But Davies, who had spent the past decade alongside Hinkley, said the veteran coach was expected to return to pre-season training as usual.

“I can only reiterate the position I’m seeing through the exit period and that is that Ken is absolutely committed to this group getting better for 2025,” Davies said.

“That (whether he was certain to remain coach) would ultimately be a question for Ken.

“But from my standpoint I’m not seeing anything here that would suggest that he’s not as equally enthused on the potential for next year than what he was this time last year.

“We’ve come from three days worth of exit meetings and come from what the start of what our coaching review looks like, there is nothing right now that suggests to me that Ken doesn’t have the energy for the 2025 season.

“He’s not the type of person who needs massive amounts of time to recharge normally.”

Hinkley became the Power’s longest-serving coach when he led the side in its preliminary final loss to Sydney at the SCG last week.

It was his fourth preliminary final in 12 seasons in charge and third in five campaigns.

Asked about the toll the year had taken on Hinkley, Davies said: “It takes a toll on every coach”.

“The 18 AFL senior coaches have a tough job,” he said.

Chris Davies and Ken Hinkley’s futures at Port Adelaide have been the subject of speculation. Picture: Michael Klein

“They bear the brunt of people feeling like they’re on top of the world if their club is up the top of the ladder or equally that they’re the problem when their team is down the bottom.

“Ken is a remarkably resilient person who has shown over time that he’s able to get a fair bit out of this group.

“We’ve spoken enough about the fact we haven’t got to a grand final through this period where we have had pretty good levels of performance through the minor round and in some finals.

“We’re not going to be able to stop that, probably until this time next year.

“But Ken does a good job and anyone suggesting he’s not, or that our squad hasn’t achieved something this year is entirely wrong.”

Senior assistant Josh Carr is waiting in the wings when Hinkley and the club part ways.

While not addressing specifically a potential handover, Davies said the Power and Hinkley had been cognisant with the senior coaching role and other positions about plotting “a path into the future that has our team performing better than what we already have”.

“We got to a preliminary final … but no one outside of our club is going to stop us from feeling like we achieved something this year,” he said.

“When the time comes that Ken wants to give the game away, then I think we’ve got some very good candidates to take over that position but I’m not going to say that right now.”

Hinkley faced intense pressure during this year’s finals series. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Davies would not discuss speculation that he could also leave this off-season amid links to the football boss role at Collingwood, saying only it was “an important time for us all to recalibrate the next part of where our club goes”.

“What I’ve never done is comment specifically in who might be interested in me, whether they are or not,” he said.

“I don’t want to be sat here saying ‘I’m the man for the next five years at Port Adelaide, if Port Adelaide didn’t think that was the case’.

“I never want to be in the situation where I’m guaranteeing my own future into the future.”

In his annual season-ending press conference, Davies spoke for a whopping 33 minutes about a range of topics including:

■ All-Australian defender Dan Houston’s trade request to Victoria:

“I don’t think we’ve ever come out in the media and suggested what we think we’re going to need (in return). I know the narrative’s around two first-round picks but I think we just wait during the trade period to see what we’d ultimately be offered. Dan obviously has to give us an indication of where he might be willing to go but wherever he may choose has got to be able to satisfy us. If it’s not right for the footy club, this just won’t happen.”

■ Whether club great Travis Boak plays on:

“I think Travis should get a massive tick for playing better footy this year than last year. We’ll work with him over the next week or two over what 2025 looks like, whether that be on field or what his options are away from the game.”

■ Ruckman Ivan Soldo wanting to play for St Kilda:

“He’s suggested to us he’d like to get back to Victoria but whether it happens or not and what the deal’s worth … I don’t want to overcommit to something right now.”

■ Chasing Collingwood goalsneak Joe Richards:

“We have interest in Joe Richards. He’s a player that fits a need for us, as we’d like to add some depth in that small forward crew.”

■ Whether key forward Ollie Lord will stay amid interest from Victorian clubs:

“There was nothing in Ollie Lord’s exit interview which would suggest he’s looking at playing his footy elsewhere next year, so I would suggest right now that Ollie is at our club moving forward. Ollie Lord through pre-season would have no doubt played round 1 (before getting injured) … and it derailed a fair bit of his season, unfortunately for him. His opportunities are well and truly going to be here with Charlie (Dixon) not going to be here.”

■ Forward Todd Marshall looking ahead to 2025 after recovering from concussion symptoms:

“When you have hits, there can be anxiety attached to that. But Todd has left this period absolutely committed to continuing to play. His symptoms are getting better very quickly and on that basis I don’t see why he shouldn’t be attacking 2025 with the same gusto he has in previous years and that’s exactly his feel as well. There’s obviously extra care on Todd through that, only because he’s been in that situation before. (With other players who have had to retire) there’s been some ongoing symptoms they maybe haven’t been recovering from in the same time periods as Todd has. Right now, we’re expecting Todd to continue to play for a long period of time”.

■ Long-time defender Tom Clurey having interest from West Coast:

“He’s been a terrific servant of ours and we would be open to finding him a new home”.

■ Charlie Dixon’s retirement:

“He’s been an absolute warhorse for us over time and for him to put his hand up and pull the pin, we’re totally supportive of that decision. He and (fellow retiree) Trent McKenzie came in (from Gold Coast) and performed outstanding roles for us.”

■ The departure of midfield assistant Luke Kelly:

“I don’t think we’ll lose any more assistant coaches, we’ll just have to work out through this review period who we want to bring in.”

■ How far away the AFL is from players declaring mid-season their intentions to leave:

“You’d probably all have to look in the mirror and see how much carry on actually goes on to see whether it would be worth a player and the club doing that. It’s not that big of a deal for us because 60 per cent of our list is from interstate so we’re dealing with this all the time”.

Originally published as Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies on his future, whether Ken Hinkley will coach in 2025