“One more time, for sh*ts and giggles!”
Outgoing Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley saved his best post-game press conference for last on Friday night, after his side’s inspirational four-point win over Gold Coast.
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With Hinkley and the club mutually agreeing in February that this season would be his last as head coach at Alberton, his wild 13-year ride at the Power came to an end in fitting fashion as his depleted line-up overcame the finals hopefuls.
Their 2025 has been decimated by injuries, as well as a fall-off in form that saw them finish the home-and-away season in 13th place with nine wins; the worst in his tenure that dates back to 2013.
In a classy move, Hinkley was accompanied at his press conference by retiring Power legend Travis Boak, who finished his 19-year AFL career with 387 games next to his name.
“One more time, for sh*ts and giggles!” Hinkley began tongue-in-cheek.
“I could not be more proud. I could not be more proud of our footy club, my players … my legends (pats Boak on arm) — everything.
“I came in 2013 and I said: ‘You get what you deserve’. It hasn’t always felt like that, but tonight, the footy Gods were watching and they gave Travis (Boak), Chad (Cornes) … myself — they gave us something we deserved, because we’re just good people.”
‘I’m an emotional pr*ck’ | 00:40
Critics have come thick and fast for both Hinkley and the football club amid their dip in form this year, with a number of pundits suggesting that his handover with the incoming Josh Carr should have either never happened, or been done well before Round 24.
The Power were also seen as serious underdogs on Friday night, given Gold Coast need just one win to reach their maiden finals series after 15 years since joining the AFL. That label was one Hinkley had willingly accepted on a personal level before the first bounce in front of 40,897 fans.
“I didn’t think we had any chance! I can say that now!” Hinkley said with a big grin.
“I’m sitting there going: ‘Sh*t, I’ve got six first-year (players) in this team, a warrior, crippled old fella going around. I’ve got a young kid (Harrison) Ramm playing at full-back on (Ben) King … and we won.”
Asked about what he was thinking at the final siren, the head coach of 13 years responded in the only way he knew how.
“I’m unemployed (now). How am I going to get a job? Nah, I didn’t give a stuff to be honest! I thought: ‘I’m just going to enjoy this moment, love my footy club. Tomorrow morning, I’m not the coach — but tonight I’m still the coach.
“I’m a coach who’s the proudest coach the world has ever seen tonight.”
Boak was commonly referenced in Hinkley’s own build up of the Round 24 fixture, noting the former captain’s loyalty to Alberton amid multiple offers to join Geelong at the end of 2012 — as Hinkley joined Port — and 2020.
The midfielder still managed to play 16 of 23 games at the top level in 2025, however was forced to manage a number of niggles. Boak was six years older than any other player on Port Adelaide’s list for next season.
“I said it again in the rooms … he saved the footy club. The footy club gave him a lot back, but my god, I think the footy club’s still in debt,” Hinkley added, before taking a cheeky clip at long-time critics.
“99% of the Port Adelaide crowd are amazing, (but) there’s a couple I’d like to say goodbye.”
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