Port Adelaide’s finals-contending status is in jeopardy as Ken Hinkley’s Alberton future “hangs by a thread” with a critical month of fixtures upcoming.
On Saturday afternoon, the Power fell by 79 points to Brisbane at Adelaide Oval in a disenchanting showing, representing their third consecutive loss — by an average deficit of 46 points.
After Round 15, the Power sit 8-6 and in eighth position on the ladder, just half a game inside the top eight with the chasing pack bearing down.
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In its third home loss on the trot, Port finished -25 in inside-50s, -45 in disposals, -15 in clearances, -40 in contested possessions, and had 28 fewer marks than the Lions.
“They were the biggest disappointment of the weekend, and it’s fair, what’s going to come their way,” Fox Footy analyst Leigh Montagna began on Fox Footy’s First Crack.
“You can’t lose by 79 points at home when you’re expected to be a contender.
“When you go chips-in with recruits, and you say you want to improve, and you think you can go to the next level when you’ve got to the point where you’ve given up your first-round draft pick coming into the draft at the end of the year, you can understand why the fans are getting disgruntled.
“It’s a concern. It’s a big issue now, and I suppose the question is: where does the blame lie? That’s where it’s got to at the moment.”
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Montagna said it was “really interesting” comparing Hinkley’s post-match comments on Saturday to his pre-season words in the lead-up to Round 1.
On March 15, Hinkley preached optimism as he set lofty goals for his “improved” Port Adelaide side.
“We’re optimistic and we’re hopeful that we’ve improved enough that it’ll put us right at the top of the ladder, and that’s where we set out at the start of the year to try and be,” Hinkley said.
“I’ve said (it) before, we’ve got a really strong list — the best list that we’ve had in a good period of time — and we’ve looked to have improved that from the people that we’ve brought in, but we’ve still got to see that in action.”
Post-game on Saturday, Hinkley said “everyone agrees” that Port Adelaide doesn’t sit in the upper echelon of contending clubs.
“I’ve said this a few times, we’re not one of the best teams in the competition, we sit below that — everyone agrees,” Hinkley said after the Power’s demoralising loss.
“We have to keep working to change what our results have been to make sure they turn around and become what we need them to be.”
Montagna outlined his thoughts in response to those comments, going on to offer his position on where the blame should be pointed.
“That is interesting, hearing that message,” he said. “Because, clearly, from what Ken Hinkley was saying at the start of the year, it’s not the list that’s the problem.
“He thinks he’s got a terrific list that should have improved on where they were last year, so that leaves the big question: if it’s not the list, what is it?
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“It can only be two things — if it’s not your playing list, it’s either your system and your gameplan, or you’re not maximising the talent that you have on the list. And that, unfortunately, lies fairly and squarely on the coach.
“So, it’s understandable why there is a lot of noise coming his way and there is a sense of doom and gloom, and in some ways a bit of inevitability about what might come with Ken Hinkley.”
Hinkley’s 41.7 winning percentage in finals matches is a far cry from his 60.6 per cent rate of victory in home-and-away games.
Montagna said the veteran mentor was entering a critical patch of fixtures as the Power teeter on the edge of the eight.
“(There is) no doubt that this next four-week period is the most important of his coaching career,” he declared.
“I think he’s coached 175 games — we know he’s been through so much, he’s pretty stoic in his position, and he understands where it’s at, but there is plenty riding on the line for Ken Hinkley now.
“They’re only one slip-up away, and if that does happen, there is no doubt that Ken Hinkley’s future is hanging by a thread.
“It’s unacceptable. The fans have been sensing it for a while, we know ‘Kingy’ (David King) has been big on it, that again — and they even admitted it — that they can’t beat the top teams. They can’t beat the teams above them on the ladder.”
Port Adelaide’s next month comprises match-ups against St Kilda (Marvel Stadium), the Western Bulldogs (Adelaide Oval), Gold Coast (People First Stadium) and Richmond (Adelaide Oval).
Just four of its nine remaining games will be played at Adelaide Oval, with the Power set to make three more trips to Melbourne, one to Gold Coast and one to Perth.
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Montagna was blunt in his assessment of the Power’s list and which players have genuinely improved from last season.
“When you look at the list — I went through it before — there (are) maybe a handful of players you can say have clearly improved on last year,” he said.
“There are some that have stayed at a high level — Zak Butters and Dan Houston being a couple — but maybe a handful have improved, and (then) you look at their list profile.
“In 2022, they were strong defensively, and their clearance and contest (were) terrific, (but) their offence struggled. Last year, their offence was pretty good, but they struggled defensively and in their contest game.
“And now, as this season’s going on, it (their defence) is dwindling their profile by the week. That hasn’t improved, their list hasn’t improved, and that’s why they’re in the situation that they’re in.”
Despite their torrid form, Montagna wasn’t convinced Hinkley would be able to change a lot as Port plots another finals berth despite its poor form.
“That’s the big question,” he said. “I think he’s pretty wedded to his style of footy — the front-half game, lock it in — it does leave the defence vulnerable and, really, personnel-wise, there’s not a lot he can do.
“He’s just got to try and maximise the talent that they already have there to get them to play at their best, because if they don’t — as we touched on — it’s going to be pretty inevitable how it’s going to end.”