A KEN-DO ATTITUDE

Power capable of breaking Geelong drought: Hinkley

PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley understands the challenge his side faces at GMHBA Stadium this weekend better than most and is confident his resurgent Power can break a 15-year hoodoo at Geelong.

The Power’s prospects of a fifthstraight win will be boosted by the return of skipper Tom Jonas and midfielder Trent Dumont from Covid protocols, while former Geelong Falcons star Travis Boak was also last night named in the team despite missing training on Thursday due to hayfever-like symptoms.

However, key forward Charlie Dixon won’t make the trip to Geelong and will play in Port’s SANFL side. Xavier Duursma and Martin Frederick were both omitted from the Power’s team on Thursday night.

A GFL premiership coach at Bell Park in 2003 and Geelong assistant coach between 2004-09, Hinkley (pictured) has enjoyed plenty of success at Kardinia Park as a coach after playing 121 games as a Cat.

But he hasn’t won at the ground in Power colours, having only coached in Geelong twice in his 10season tenure, leading Port Adelaide to losses in 2017 and 2013.

Despite not tasting victory as an AFL head coach, Hinkley still knows GMHBA Stadium intimately.

“Been a long time, but, yeah, I still know it (GMHBA Stadium),” he said.

“Everyone understands the unique challenge of Geelong at Geelong – it’s been a fantastic team for almost feels like forever.

“We’ve just got to go down there with our eyes on our game and the way we’ve played and the way we need to continue to play.

“Geelong at Geelong is a challenge, but every side is capable of beating any side in any place, I think.”

Port Adelaide hasn’t won in Geelong since 2007 when a final-minute Dom Cassisi goal stole a five-point win for the Power.

Hinkley was an assistant with Geelong at the time and remembers the finish to the game. “I remember Dom Cassisi kicking a fantastic goal and Dom was in the club during the week, so that makes me remember it because he told me about it,” he said.