Port Adelaide have been whacked with a $20,000 fine from the AFL for coach Ken Hinkley’s taunting of Hawthorn players after the Power’s dramatic semi-final win.
Minutes after Port ended Hawthorn’s season on Friday night, Hinkley took the opportunity to direct verbal jibes at forward Jack Ginnivan.
The Power had been fired up by Ginnivan, who had responded to an Instagram post by Sydney ruckman Brodie Grundy by writing “see u in 14 days”, referring to next Friday’s preliminary final.
Both teams were lining up for a guard of honour for Hawks 300-gamer Luke Breust when Hinkley directed what appeared to be mocking comments towards Ginnivan.
It infuriated Hawthorn captain James Sicily, who stepped in to defend Ginnivan and engaged in a fiery back-and-forth with the Power coach.
The AFL issued a please explain to the Power on Saturday, and handed down their sanction for “conduct unbecoming” on Sunday.
The fine, matching that handed to GWS after football boss Jason McCartney made contact with Sydney’s Tom Papley amid a quarter-time melee in their qualifying final, won’t count towards the Power’s soft cap.
“We understand it is a passionate game with a lot at stake for all clubs, however, Ken made a decision to engage with opposition players post-match – a decision he has since admitted was the wrong one,” AFL general counsel Stephen Meade said.
“Ken has acknowledged that his emotions got the better of him in the moment, however, as a senior coach his actions fell well below what is expected by the AFL.
“As we reiterated last week, opposition officials and players inappropriately engaging each other is something we don’t want to see because of the potential to escalate and the example that it sets for football at lower levels and we are disappointed the moment took away from what was one of the great finals matches.”
Hinkley immediately regretted the incident and said in his post-game media conference that he had been out of line.
“I regret the comment,” he said. “I should have stayed out of that.
“There was stuff said during last week that I certainly didn’t enjoy, but I shouldn’t have let that moment get to me.”
Port chief executive Matthew Richardson on Saturday defended his coach.
“He cares deeply about his players, he cares deeply about the footy club and sometimes that emotion comes out, but that’s one of the things we love about Ken,” he said.
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell praised Sicily for standing up for Ginnivan, and on Saturday the Hawks skipper said of his verbal sparring: “I didn’t regret it one bit.”
Asked if he would speak to Hinkley about the post-game blow-up, Mitchell replied “absolutely not”.
The Power issued a terse three-line statement after the AFL fine, saying they considered the matter closed.
While Hinkley has been widely criticised for his post-game behaviour, especially by former Hawthorn players now working in the media, there has been an amount of support for him as well.
Port Adelaide play Sydney in a preliminary final at the SCG on Friday night.
