Blues coach reveals truth behind star’s absence; ‘madness’ in AFL Tribunal drama — Best of 360

An AFL legend has called some of the debate around the latest tribunal case as “madness.” Plus Michael Voss with the latest on Harry McKay and Ken Hinkley defended Port’s coaching succession plan.

Recap the biggest talking points from Monday’s edition of Fox Footy’s AFL 360.

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LYON SAYS MANSELL BAN NEEDS TO BE UPHELD AMID ‘MADNESS’

Former Demons skipper Garry Lyon expects Rhyan Mansell’s three-match ban to be upheld, describing some of the debate around the Tiger’s case as “madness.”

Mansell will challenge his three-match ban at the tribunal for pushing St Kilda’s Liam O’Connell into oncoming traffic in an act that left the Saints defender concussed.

It comes after the AFL sent a memo to clubs on the eve of the season cautioning them against pushing players into contests in the newest act the game is trying to stamp out.

Lyon thinks Mansell needs to be suspended despite “staggering” calls otherwise.

“Gut feel is it shouldn’t happen and it shouldn’t go unpunished. It’s about a one to two weeker for mine and it won’t go that away because of the matrix,” he said on AFL 360.

“But sometimes we tie ourselves in knots around this. He hasn’t got eyes on the ball at all, he’s not playing the ball.

“He knows where the traffic is because he has his back to the ball facing the traffic – and he showed him into the traffic.

“I’ve heard some staggering defences of this … every time I look at this I think: ‘What do you think is going to happen?’

“You are putting yourself at the mercy of a system, that sometimes confuses everyone … but do we want that in our game? Do we want blokes turning their back on the footy and giving a hard shove into oncoming traffic? No, and I’ll argue that forever in a day.

“That’s not footy. Turning your back on the footy and shoving a bloke into two monsters coming my way. Someone even suggested Tom Lynch should’ve been more careful – this is the madness that consumes us around here.

“Tom Lynch is trying to mark the footy! Let’s put that one to bed as well. This is why we lose our mind.”

KEN DEFENDS COACHING HANDOVER

Port Adelaide boss Ken Hinkley has defended the club’s coaching succession plan, saying critics are “naive” about the inner workings at Alberton.

The Power have started Hinkley’s last season in charge 1-2 ahead of the veteran coach’s handover to Josh Carr for 2026.

Some have critiqued the dragged out handover and questioned whether there could be a power struggle, however Hinkley was defiant that he’s still the man.

“Let’s be really clear – I’m the coach and I’m in charge of what we do. Josh and the other coaches all support what we are trying to do. We’re all on the same page,” Hinkley sad, before emphasising how the club’s game plan and tactics were team orientated.

“What shouldn’t surprise anyone is we do this together and as a collective and manage it through a whole season.

“There’s not one person – whether people want to use Josh or Ken – they’re not the right information, they’re the wrong information. We have a coaching group that comes up with all our strategies and we implement them together. But I am the figurehead of that this year.

“We’re not in anything other than right now, right here in 2025. Ken Hinkley is coaching the Port Adelaide Football Club to be the best possible version of themselves. Which, to our credit, has been a pretty consistent footy club for the last four or five years.”

Asked if it’s changed anything in his approach at all, Hinkley said: “Not one millimetre do I feel like that’s an issue at all.

“I would suggest people who think that are a little bit naïve to the way our footy club works from the inside.

“We can’t expect you have all the information, but we should also get some respect back that we know what we’re doing.”

VOSS: HARRY GIVEN SPACE AHEAD OF SELECTION CALL

Blues coach Michael Voss says giving Harry McKay space is the best thing the club can do right now as the star forward grapples with personal issues.

McKay is in the frame to return for a blockbuster Thursday night clash against old rival Collingwood at the MCG, having played in a VFL internal scratch match last weekend.

While the Blues would be desperate for the Coleman medallist to play as they try to avoid dropping to 0-4, Voss said McKay’s health and wellbeing was the main priority.

“The best thing we can do to support is to give space. He’s been able to get that space to work through a few things,” the Blues coach said.

“He’s been back at the club since Wednesday and he played in the scratch match we had, as did Elijah (Hollands), on Saturday.

“He was at the breakfast this morning for the Peter Mac Cup, so he’s doing quite well.

“What I can say is when he does play, he’ll be ready to go.”

Asked if the blockbuster occasion against Collingwood was a factor in McKay’s return, Voss said: “Zero. (When) he’s ready he will play.

“I saw him this morning with about 400 other people; I haven’t had that conversation with him (about returning Thursday night). Again, sometimes the best way to show support is to step away.

“In this instance I’ve had my conversations I needed to have with him. My job right now is to step sway and I’ll have the right conversation with him at the right time.”