Power footy boss Chris Davies says Port have not considered ending succession plan

Once again, the Power aren’t backing away from their succession plan, but as they stare down their worst finish under Ken Hinkley, should they reconsider? Have your say.

Port Adelaide footy boss Chris Davies says there has been no internal discussions about expediting the senior coach succession plan from Ken Hinkley to Josh Carr despite the Power’s disappointing first half of the season.

Davies said the club has not spoken to Carr about taking the role over earlier than planned and revealed if they didn’t go public with the handover plan then Hinkley could have been under even more pressure than he already is.

The Power enter its mid-season bye staring down their worst finish under Hinkley.

The Power are staring down a barren year. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Davies was asked if the club would bring forward the timeline of changing the senior coach should the losses continue.

“No, right now we are in a situation where we’re using the opportunity to reset and wanting to be far better in the second half of the year than we have been in the first half and that doesn’t include changing the senior coach right now,” he said.

“We are in a position where we are in a good opportunity to still play good footy.

“We’ve announced what’s going to happen in 2026 but we are well and truly coming back to what we can be better at in 2025.

“Our job is to get back playing better footy.”

Davies said he did understand why the succession plan was being debated externally, but the Power needed to look at its game plan.

“I guess coming into this year you know that if you start losing games that people are going to be questioning that aspect of it,” he said.

“My preference right now is to look at the things that we can actually control for the rest of the year and that is to look at a game plan that has been set up that we haven’t quite got right for long enough periods of time.

“Our midfield stoppage work hasn’t been what it was last year.

“And ultimately we haven’t been able to defend very well behind the ball.

“So not much has been going fantastically for this year... I think internally we have some actual practical things that we need to get right in the next period of time that will and should take up more of our focus than worrying about succession plans.”

Davies was also asked if Carr would actually prefer to not take the reigns early or if Hinkley could also decide enough was enough.

“I haven’t had that discussion with Josh as flat out as what you’re saying there,” he said.

Miles Bergman could depart the Power. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty Images

Zak Butters’ future is also a question. Picture: Janelle St Pierre/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“I don’t think that across too many sports worldwide that that’s a prudent way to go about things, especially when you’ve got a group who have a history of playing far better than what they are right now.

“It’s not like this group of players or this group of coaches have been terrible for a long period of time. We haven’t got it right this year.

“I don’t think that has ever been a doubt with Ken.

“If there ever came that time, I’m 100 per cent convinced that he would come and tell me that, but I haven’t seen anything that would suggest that Ken doesn’t have the energy for the job.”

Davies said the alternative for the Power not locking in its plans for 2026 could have created even more pressure.

“You understandably have to answer questions about what is real and for us the succession plan is real,” he said.

“But sometimes it may be worthwhile putting yourself on the other side of the argument and saying if we hadn’t done some of the stuff we did over the off-season what would have changed right now?

“I’d imagine that there might be even more pressure on Ken right now, now that’s not in anyway saying we are happy about it because at 4-7 and feeling like we’re not playing good footy, it definitely doesn’t feel great.”

Hanging over all of this is the long-term future of two of the Power’s star players in Miles Bergman and Zak Butters.

Bergman’s contract expires at the end of this year, while Butters’ finishes at the end of 2026.

Davies said both had long term deals in front of them - an “amazing offer” for Butters and a “very good offer” for Bergman - put the club was not putting any pressure on them.

“We’re not going to be in a position where we’re either low-balling the players we’ve currently got whilst we have been linked to players coming into the club,” he said.

“We want to make sure that we’re showing the right amount of faith to the players already here and definitely not getting into a situation where they feel disrespected by the offer that we’re putting to them.”

Bergman signed his last contract around this time of the season two years ago, while Davies said he expected Butters to honour his contract until the end of next year.

Todd Marshall is set to miss the rest of the season. Picture: Getty Images

MID—SEASON ADDITIONS

Port Adelaide could have up to three selections in this week’s mid-season draft with footy boss Chris Davies saying it is unlikely Todd Marshall and Tom Cochrane will play again this year.

It could mean that Jack Watkins finally realises his AFL dream with Davies confirming the good friend of club vice-captain Zak Butters is one of the players the Power is looking at.

The Power were already set to have one pick in Wednesday’s mid-season draft with young defender Xavier Walsh undergoing surgery on a shoulder injury, which has ended his 2025.

Former basketballer Jacob Moss is also out for the season after he had surgery on his ankle injury but as a Category B rookie he cannot be replaced in the mid-season draft.

But the Power could put Marshall and Cochrane on the long term injury list with Davies saying it will be unlikely they recover from an Achilles and foot injury in time for the rest of this season.

“I think right now I would say Cochrane and Todd Marshall are unlikely to play for the remainder of the year so we’ve really got to work out what it is that we want to do there,” he said.

“We’re certainly going to open more than one spot up, whether that means that we take more than one selection in the mid-season draft that remains to be seen.

“But I think for both Cochrane and Todd Marshall right now it will be a stretch for them to play this year.”

Jack Watkins is a chance to be drafted. Picture: Courtney Pedlar/PAFC

The Power struck gold in last year’s mid-season draft with Logan Evans - who had been training with the club and playing in the SANFL for the Magpies - able to be selected and play 13 games for the side that made the preliminary final.

For the second year in a row a Magpies player could be elevated onto the Power’s list with Davies confirming that Watkins - a former North Melbourne VFL captain who trialed for the final spot on Port’s list in pre-season - was under consideration.

“Jack has probably been our best SANFL player all year and in fairness that is what we expected from a guy who played state footy in Victoria,” Davies said.

“He is one of the guys that we are looking at and if it’s not in the mid-season draft then I still think that there’s hope for Jack longer term, he’s shown that he’s a quality SANFL player.”

The Power have also been linked to North Adelaide goalkicker Ewan Mackinlay.

Davies said the Power were hopeful of having Jason Horne-Francis, Jack Lukosius, Esava Ratugolea and Josh Sinn available after or soon after its mid-season bye.

Originally published as Power footy boss Chris Davies says Port have not considered ending succession plan