Port Adelaide Coach Hinkley Ends 13-Year Tenure Without Grand Final

Ken Hinkley is concluding his 13-year tenure as coach of the Port Adelaide Power, the longest in the club's AFL history, with his final game against Gold Coast. Despite achieving a 58.45% winning percentage over 297 games—higher than several renowned coaches—Hinkley has not led the team to a grand final, marking the record for most VFL/AFL games coached without a grand final appearance. Hinkley expressed deep regret and acknowledged the sting of never winning a premiership, which he sees as the ultimate measure of coaching success. Initially reluctant to take the Port Adelaide job in 2012, Hinkley accepted after other higher-profile candidates declined, referring to himself as the 'last man standing.' He praised the progress made with the club but admitted the disappointment of falling short of the ultimate goal. Hinkley will hand over coaching duties to longtime assistant Josh Carr and hopes Carr can achieve what he could not.