Hawthorn captain James Sicily has gone into bat for his teammates on Saturday morning after a fiery post-match exchange with Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley on Friday night.
The AFL are investigating the incident, where Hinkley and Sicily exchanged words after the match as both sides came together to form a guard of honour for Hawthorn 300-gamer Luke Breust.
Hinkley was seen doing a plane gesture towards Hawthorn small forward Jack Ginnivan, who told former teammate and Swans star Brodie Grundy he would “see u in 14 days”.
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“I can’t recall exactly what was said. He was talking to our players and said something to Ginni and I think what I do as a leader is I always have my teammates’ back and I will stick up for them regardless of who is in the right or the wrong,” he told reporters at the airport on Saturday morning.
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“It is something I pride myself on and I don’t regret it one bit really. The only thing that I do wish I had my time again with was that exchange probably lingered too long and took the gloss off Punky’s (Breust’s) 300th and not being able to be fully present in chairing him off and acknowledging the contribution he has made to the game and our club and obviously being a great mate as well,” he said.
“That’s probably the only thing I am disappointed in, that I wasn’t fully present in that moment.
“But yeah, it’s not the first time that Ken has done that, and it won’t be the last, it’s an emotional game and sometimes it gets the better of us.
“I think those things are better done behind closed doors, particularly when there was a moment to celebrate Punk. Instead there was gloss taken off it a little bit.”
Hinkley apologies for THAT moment… | 11:14
Hawthorn’s 2024 campaign came to an end as they suffered a heart-breaking three-point defeat to Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.
Having started the season 0-5, there’s plenty to be happy about for Sam Mitchell’s side.
Port Adelaide will face the Sydney Swans in a preliminary final next week.
“POOR FORM” Hinkley sledges losing side! | 01:00
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