Port Adelaide Power coach Ken Hinkley distances himself from vacant role at West Coast Eagles
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has distanced himself from reports linking him to the vacant West Coast role, insisting he has a job to do at the Power.
A report from SEN earlier this week claimed Hinkley was on the Eagles’ radar to be their next senior coach, just days after the leading candidate in Dean Cox ruled himself out of going for the job.
The Eagles are on the hunt for their next full-time coach after they parted ways with 2018 premiership leader Adam Simpson earlier this month.
Cox was seen as the favourite to return to the club where he played 290 games and won a premiership, but has decided to stay at the Sydney where he is the senior assistant.
Hinkley was this week reported to be at the top of the Eagles’ list since Cox ruled himself out, having been the leader at the Power since 2013 where he has won 159 of his 266 games without a premiership.
“We’ve got a big job. We’ve got five games left in our season and hopefully more to play,” Hinkley, who is contracted until the end of 2025, said on Thursday.
“It’s really clear about one thing: I am coaching Port Adelaide and I love coaching Port Adelaide and I have a contract to continue to coach Port Adelaide.”
Hinkley denied he was frustrated at the outside noise around his future, with the coach under fire in South Australia after mixed results this season.
“Not at all because I’m so used to it. Everyone is so used to it in the competition,” Hinkley said.
“There has to be a story and there has to be someone that they talk about.
“I get it. There’s a lot of other people that’s been mentioned.
“Unfortunately, I get mentioned lots of times on different things.”
Hinkley’s assistant Josh Carr — who is seen as the next Power coach in waiting — has already ruled himself out of chasing the role at the Eagles as well.
![Ken Hinkley says he’s not fazed by the outside noise.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/C-15476954/a5cbd922e575788efb911b77897b3afb4becd8c7.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
Cox ruled himself out last week citing being settled in Sydney with both his role and family.
“I am extremely happy in Sydney, and I believe this is the best place for me and my family at the moment,” Cox said.
“My two girls are eight and 11 and have made solid friendships at school, and my wife is running a new business which she is passionate about, so we feel staying in Sydney is the best option for us right now.”
West Coast interim coach Jarrad Schofield, former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley and Carlton senior assistant Ash Hansen are among the contenders being touted.
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