By Jake Niall
Ken Hinkley has agreed to a two-year contract extension with Port Adelaide under which the veteran coach will continue in the role next year and in 2025.
Hinkley and Port Adelaide’s hierarchy stuck to their original plan to delay any contract discussions until August, keeping that timeline even when the Power won 13 consecutive games through the middle of this year.
Ken Hinkley’s future at Port Adelaide has been assured.Credit: AFL Photos
Hinkley’s deal does not include a formal succession plan or handover to assistant coach Josh Carr, according to a source familiar with the deal, who was not authorised to comment ahead of an official announcement.
However, Carr is clearly the frontrunner to take over from Hinkley when the Port senior coach’s time is up.
Hinkley, who joined Port Adelaide for the 2013 season, is now contracted to coach Port into a 13th season. The club announced his extension on Tuesday.
The contract creates the possibility he could overtake Mark Williams for most games coached at Port in the AFL, and he was firm on Tuesday that there was no end date on when he would finish at Alberton.
“We’ve said it pretty clearly right all the way through, we’re just grateful that Josh [Carr] has recommitted and wants to be part of our football club,” Hinkley said.
“Josh is a really impressive young coach who, at some stage, will coach himself.
“I’d love nothing more about if it was at Port Adelaide at some stage, but there’s no succession plan in place, there’s no end date.
“If you thought Josh was going to want and going to need a succession plan to commit to Port Adelaide football club, [you] don’t know Josh well enough.”
He thanked the board, players and his assistants – Carr, Nathan Bassett, Chad Cornes – and other staff.
“I care deeply for this playing group and football club,” Hinkley said.
“Not for one moment do I take coaching this great football club for granted.”
Elsewhere on the coaching front, the Gold Coast Suns were on Monday still working through contract details with Damien Hardwick. They were adamant on Monday night an appointment had not been made.
Hardwick is expected to sign with the Suns on a long-term deal to be their new coach, the three-time Richmond premiership coach having left Punt Road mid-season and taken an overseas holiday.
However, Evans said on Monday there was “nothing to update or report on”. Evans said the Suns were not planning an announcement this week.
Port chairman David Koch welcomed Hinkley’s signing in a statement.
“We believe confirming Ken’s contract extension now provides our football program with confidence and certainty heading into an exciting finals campaign,” Koch said.
“At Port Adelaide there are high expectations every year, and we will always make decisions based on what we believe is going to provide the best opportunity for success.”
With Jon Pierik
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