Opinion Sack Hinkley 3 - 2021 is worse than 2020 already

[Coobk001]

So what if we lose both of our finals games, will all the Hinkley lovers think that next years extension and possibly beyond is the right call?

Why does the new Port keep putting the cart before the horse, results first decisions second. That would be 8 years as head coach and no winning finals for 6 years.

He definitely deserves his 1 year extension. Coming into this year top 4 was the goal to earn it and he has achieved that for the first time ever. We can't set a higher bar than that.

The finals result will obviously say a lot, but personally I believe our result in 2021 will actually say more. Can he back up a season like this, is the question, or is this just a flash in a pan.

Personally I believe we'll be lucky to win 1 final, and I could see us returning straight back to mid table next year. If he can exceed either of those with finals wins and another top 4 spot, then he'll absolutely deserve another extension.


Win the flag and you can extend him for life as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Harlott]

He definitely deserves his 1 year extension. Coming into this year top 4 was the goal to earn it and he has achieved that for the first time ever. We can't set a higher bar than that.

The finals result will obviously say a lot, but personally I believe our result in 2021 will actually say more. Can he back up a season like this, is the question, or is this just a flash in a pan.

Personally I believe we'll be lucky to win 1 final, and I could see us returning straight back to mid table next year. If he can exceed either of those with finals wins and another top 4 spot, then he'll absolutely deserve another extension.


Win the flag and you can extend him for life as far as I'm concerned.

Are you saying you think we’ll be lucky to win a final because Hinkley is crap and the same reason we’ll finish mid table next year?

 

[Byron!!!]

Food for thought

This condensed season and the Covid-19 situation meant less training sessions right.

That also means less time for the players to be corrupted by bad coaching and gameplan.

Our season success is purely off the talents of our list not being overcoached and playing to their instincts.

#bigbrainthinking

Our season got worse after covid hit. Before hand we were undefeated and had a percentage over 200.


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[EskimoPAFC]

He definitely deserves his 1 year extension.

Yeah I'm really confused as to why extensions are even still being discussed.

Deserves the 1 year extension regardless of what happens from here (not just because of our win/loss, but because a lot of the awful things he did in the 2015-2019 period he has stopped doing and we are actually seeing some organic development because of it). Has been given the extension already. What's the point in talking about it further? We could go out in straight sets in back to back 60 point losses and Ken will still be here next year. We're not going to have to make any further decision on this until probably around this time next year.

 

[GoTheMightyCrows]

So what if we lose both of our finals games, will all the Hinkley lovers think that next years extension and possibly beyond is the right call?

Why does the new Port keep putting the cart before the horse, results first decisions second. That would be 8 years as head coach and no winning finals for 6 years.

That's the spirit, gotta keep a positive mindset there's still hope!

 

[Coobk001]

Are you saying you think we’ll be lucky to win a final because Hinkley is crap and the same reason we’ll finish mid table next year?

Yes.

But I'll correct one thing. I've never said Hinkley is crap. I've always maintained he is a good coach, he just isn't a great coach and won't ever get us the ultimate results.

As I said above, this year is the first he has demonstrated an ability to extract results, so maybe the worm is turning and as such he deserves his 1 year extension. You can't ask for more than a top 2 spot. However, we need more evidence than this 1 year before we extend longer.

We need to see if we can win finals, and if we can back up next year before I would be giving Hinkley any other extension.


Personally I think we are deserving of being the 5th rated for the flag, and if we didn't have such an amazing injury run and a bit of luck with Covid, then we highly likely wouldn't be where we are. So personally I do not believe we will back up next year. I also don't believe we will beat Geelong or Brisbane in a final. I am also very nervous about Richmond and WC, though I think here in Adelaide we have a chance.

So for mine we will be lucky to win a final, and at this early stage I'd predict us to finish 5-10 after next year's minor round.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

With Harris Andrews injury for Brisbane, Geelong having serious doubt cast over them after their all too familiar failure to launch in a big game against the Tiges, and Wet Toast having to do it all from outside of the top 4 I'm not sure we are still a clear 5th. If we are 5th there sure isn't much between the top 5 any more, or certainly not between the 4 teams behind the tigs.

Sportsbet currently has us as 4th favourite as below. I maintain they are overrating the Cats and have done all season.

 

[Coobk001]

Food for thought

This condensed season and the Covid-19 situation meant less training sessions right.

That also means less time for the players to be corrupted by bad coaching and gameplan.

Our season success is purely off the talents of our list not being overcoached and playing to their instincts.

#bigbrainthinking

You can definitely see the top teams took a while to build up to top form due to the limitations of the season, so its not a silly concept, while in fact as the year has gone on, if anything we've plateaued as we have in past years.

I'd also note though that we've also had a dream run with injuries, and sometimes you need that luck to get you to a spot like 2nd.

Its the sort of dream run you don't really acknowledge until the next year comes along, you have some bad injuries and start blaming them for the drop off. A lot like the Crows from 2017 to 2018. Dream injury run in 2017, they didn't realise luck was a huge part in their form, and fell away the next year.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

Jeez I'd call winning our last 4 straight by an average of >30, and winning 7 of our last 8 with our only loss coming immediately after a massive game a little better than "plateauing"

 

[Coobk001]

Jeez I'd call winning our last 4 straight by an average of >30, and winning 7 of our last 8 with our only loss coming immediately after a massive game a little better than "plateauing"

Our last 4 games were all against teams from the bottom 6.

The game before that was a thrashing against a contender.

Despite all that our coaches have actively announced that the up until last week they thought we were just ticking along.

The Richmond game was one out of the box before them, and the Melbourne game was a belter too, but mixed in there was also a loss to the Saints and a struggle against the Dogs.

So all the evidence points to the fact we're doing well and getting results, but we aint necessarily hitting any heights. We have certainly had the absolute dream run home. Cop some harder teams while they're a bit unsettled mid year by covid, then cruise home with regular breaks against the bottom sides.

 

[backtozero]

Yes.

But I'll correct one thing. I've never said Hinkley is crap. I've always maintained he is a good coach, he just isn't a great coach and won't ever get us the ultimate results.

As I said above, this year is the first he has demonstrated an ability to extract results, so maybe the worm is turning and as such he deserves his 1 year extension. You can't ask for more than a top 2 spot. However, we need more evidence than this 1 year before we extend longer.

We need to see if we can win finals, and if we can back up next year before I would be giving Hinkley any other extension.


Personally I think we are deserving of being the 5th rated for the flag, and if we didn't have such an amazing injury run and a bit of luck with Covid, then we highly likely wouldn't be where we are. So personally I do not believe we will back up next year. I also don't believe we will beat Geelong or Brisbane in a final. I am also very nervous about Richmond and WC, though I think here in Adelaide we have a chance.

So for mine we will be lucky to win a final, and at this early stage I'd predict us to finish 5-10 after next year's minor round.

You're entitled to your predictions but wowee were you off the mark when predicting how 2020 was going to go.

 

[Coobk001]

You're entitled to your predictions but wowee were you off the mark when predicting how 2020 was going to go.

Pretty sure I wasn't the only one that tipped us 9th.

The other was a worst case scenario.

 

[backtozero]

Pretty sure I wasn't the only one that tipped us 9th.

The other was a worst case scenario.

...and completely writing off Boak, Wines, Rockliff, Hartlett, Ladhams and Dixon. Minor details.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

I think I tipped us to finish around 12-14th (had Dons, Tingles, Swans as the only clubs I was confident we would definitely finish ahead of) and don't regret it, there were 5 solid years of evidence to lead me to that position (I think this was before we got rid of no-captains though which was obviously always going to lead to a massive bump). Was expecting us to get a stack of games in to guys like Williams, Hayes, Burgoyne, Mead, Garner and Bergman and embrace the rebuild.

Those that tipped us to finish top 4 this side are probably the same people who tipped us for top 4 last year and the year before and were way off. Football is unpredictable.

 

[Coobk001]

...and completely writing off Boak, Wines, Rockliff, Hartlett, Ladhams and Dixon. Minor details.

As I said, they were all part of a hypothetical worst case scenario. That wasn't a prediction.

 

[Macca19]

I reckon I had us around 11th or so.

 

[backtozero]

Nothing bad about making wrong predictions. What is bad is when you make wrong predictions, refuse to give credit when your expectations have been exceeded and then expect others to keep listening to your predictions again as if they hold any weight.

What is the point of all the doomsday s**t at this point in time? Imagine we see some success and you spent the whole year being unhappy. Why ruin it for yourself?

 

[Us against the rest]

That's the spirit, gotta keep a positive mindset there's still hope!

I want to win the flag and if Ken achieves that I would be stoked, he then would entitled as a premiership coach to get an extension beyond 2021, at seasons end that will be 8 long years, around the average footballers career.
This has nothing to do with not wining, I have never met a true Port person that does not put winning number 1 on their list. This is to do with giving a coach an extension before we see the final results for 2020.

 

[Us against the rest]

With Harris Andrews injury for Brisbane, Geelong having serious doubt cast over them after their all too familiar failure to launch in a big game against the Tiges, and Wet Toast having to do it all from outside of the top 4 I'm not sure we are still a clear 5th. If we are 5th there sure isn't much between the top 5 any more, or certainly not between the 4 teams behind the tigs.

Sportsbet currently has us as 4th favourite as below. I maintain they are overrating the Cats and have done all season.

View attachment 962556

I had a crack at the finals predictor and it ended up as Port v Geelong GF.

 

[Us against the rest]

Yes.

But I'll correct one thing. I've never said Hinkley is crap. I've always maintained he is a good coach, he just isn't a great coach and won't ever get us the ultimate results.

As I said above, this year is the first he has demonstrated an ability to extract results, so maybe the worm is turning and as such he deserves his 1 year extension. You can't ask for more than a top 2 spot. However, we need more evidence than this 1 year before we extend longer.

We need to see if we can win finals, and if we can back up next year before I would be giving Hinkley any other extension.


Personally I think we are deserving of being the 5th rated for the flag, and if we didn't have such an amazing injury run and a bit of luck with Covid, then we highly likely wouldn't be where we are. So personally I do not believe we will back up next year. I also don't believe we will beat Geelong or Brisbane in a final. I am also very nervous about Richmond and WC, though I think here in Adelaide we have a chance.

So for mine we will be lucky to win a final, and at this early stage I'd predict us to finish 5-10 after next year's minor round.

The bolded part, spot on, horse before the cart.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

I reckon I had us around 11th or so.

I think i had on the cusp of finals but I also put $$ on us for the minor premiership early in the peice.

I didn't trust Ken enough to take the jucier Premiership odds though.

I trust our list more than our coach and you need both to win a flag.

I am starting to entertain hope that I am wrong though. Unfortunately the last times I felt that was in the lead up to the Brisbane game and in the lead up to the Geelong game.


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[Harlott]

So for those who had us below the 8, what is the reason we’re top of the ladder with one minor round game to play?

 

[Enviable Tradition]

So for those who had us below the 8, what is the reason we’re top of the ladder with one minor round game to play?

For me.

1. We have developed players well (McKenzie, Butters, DBJ, Ladhams etc)
2. Our best players are playing well (Boak, Wines, Gray, Jonas, Dixon).
2. We have had very few injuries.
3. Our selections have been better than I expected (our selections of honest triers is still annoying but we have finally started picking 3 tall forwards).
4. We have improved our i50s (mainly as a result of point 3).
5. We have recruited well (Georgiadis mostly as far as improvement this year).

The coaches get credit for 3 and 4 and at least partial credit for 1 and 2 (recruiters and players get credit here too).

Honestly if they could just stop selecting Bonner and Sutcliffe and only play one of Farrell and Motlop at a time and win a final I'd be back on baord.


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[Macca19]

So for those who had us below the 8, what is the reason we’re top of the ladder with one minor round game to play?

- Much more cohesive ball movement
- Better defensive structures, especially further up the ground
- Tall structure up forward as opposed to kicking on the head of smalls
- Much improved clearance work which has allowed for deep f50 entries
- Improved form from our A graders in Jonas, Wines, Rockliff, Dixon, Hartlett and Boak
- Improved reliable form from our 2nd stringers in McKenzie, SPP, Butters, Ebert, Marshall
- Only a few players that have regressed - Rozee, Duursma slightly, Burton through injury, Westhoff age

 

[Us against the rest]

So for those who had us below the 8, what is the reason we’re top of the ladder with one minor round game to play?

I always thought Port would make the 8 to trigger Ken's extra year. You do have to ask the question though, if it was a normal season and not a covid interrupted season, would things have panned out the same.
Because teams were put into hubs, it took longer for some clubs to accept and get on with playing footy, WC and Geelong are two examples. Clubs pre season would have scoped the draw and penciled in potential wins and losses but playing at alternate grounds and states, changed the concept of the season. After round one was completed it looked as though a season of AFL was off the cards as were the crowds.

In saying this well done to our club, they did get on with the job without complaining.