‘Why not?’: Defiant Hinkley backs winless Port to stage a finals fight
A defiant Ken Hinkley has backed Port Adelaide to thumb their nose at history by qualifying for finals from a dire 0-4 start to the season.
Only two VFL/AFL teams in the past 60 years have successfully achieved the feat. North Melbourne, under Ron Barassi, endured an identical 0-4 start to 1975 before rallying spectacularly and claiming their maiden flag.
More recently, Sydney lost their first six games in 2017 before reviving their campaign and advancing to the second week of the finals.
When informed that only one team since 1975 has made finals from an 0-4 start, Hinkley quickly interjected: “That means two can.”
The embattled Power coach is contracted until 2023 but is under serious pressure after the side’s dismal start to the season. Yet, he has September in his sights.
“Absolutely … why not?” he said on Thursday night after the 32-point loss to Melbourne.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley during Friday night’s game.Credit:Getty Images
“It’s a long season. I get that people are going to question my belief, but I’m strong in it. I think we can absolutely move forward and improve quickly.”
With a fixture against undefeated surprise packet Carlton at the MCG next Sunday, Port are staring squarely at an 0-5 mark. Improvement will need to be rapid and considerable.
The Power were held to the first goalless half in the club’s AFL history against reigning premier Melbourne. Port’s wild inaccuracy, inside-50 inefficiency and overall inadequacies in attack – in both personnel and method – are proving to be massive issues.
“Clearly, we’re working to try to improve our scoring,” Hinkley said. “We are being challenged to look for different ways to get a score.
“Last week [against Adelaide] we were able to kick a score [of 13.14]; this week against the best defensive team in the competition we found it really hard [4.12] to get a score.
“To their [Melbourne’s] credit, as a great premiership side does, they took 7-8 minutes to break the game open.”
Standing tall: It was a big night from Demons skipper Max Gawn.Credit:Getty Images
Leading from the front for the undefeated Demons was skipper Max Gawn, who racked up 25 disposals, 12 marks (five contested), 33 hit-outs, six clearances and a goal in a best-afield masterclass of iron-willed captaincy and ruck supremacy.
The 2021 premiership skipper had been building towards a breakout virtuoso like the one he unleashed on the Power on Thursday night.
“I was rapt for the skipper. I thought he led incredibly well,” Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin said. “He’s been really close the last couple of weeks, especially aerially. I thought he was the really dominant player on the ground.
“When you’re on the road against a strong footy club on their home ground, you need your leaders to stand up, and I thought Max was sensational.”
Gawn’s one-two combo with fellow twin tower Luke Jackson, who has started the year strongly, presented match-up problems for Port all night.
“We’ve got a really dynamic duo between the two of them,” Goodwin said. “They respect each other for what they bring. They’re a great combination.
“They are two completely different players in terms of what they offer, but I thought tonight that duo was a real standout for us.”
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