PORT Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley admits he shouldn't have been drawn into a verbal post-match altercation with Hawthorn players on Friday night, conceding he had responded emotionally to opposition comments during the build-up to a thrilling semi-final.
Hinkley approached Hawks forward Jack Ginnivan after the three-point win and was then involved in a tense exchange with opposition captain James Sicily that continued as the teams lined up for Luke Breust's guard of honour.
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The coach had taken issue with Ginnivan's social media comment to former teammate Brodie Grundy during the week, which suggested the Hawks would see Sydney in a preliminary final.
His comments towards the former Magpie drew the ire of Sicily and the Hawks, with counterpart Sam Mitchell choosing his words carefully post-match while defending his captain's involvement.
"There was an incident after the game where I had some words with a Hawthorn player that I wish I hadn't had in a moment that I shouldn't have had," Hinkley said.
"It was an emotional game, a big result, and there was stuff said during last week that I certainly didn't enjoy, but I shouldn't have let that moment get to me.
"I've now made it known to them through this that I shouldn't have approached the moment that I did, but what was done during the week was done and I responded to it in an emotional state, which shouldn't be the case."
Asked if he had used Ginnivan's social media comment as motivation for his team, Hinkley said: "A fair bit. A fait bit. And that's probably why it got to the point it did. We as a footy club found it a little bit disrespectful and that's why it gets to where it gets."
Mitchell said he would "absolutely not" seek out his opposition coach to address the post-match exchange, while Hinkley said he had made it known through his press conference that he regretted the moment.
"I can only speak on my club’s behalf and think about how my club, the Hawthorn Football Club, dealt with the post-game. We had a very young player who had some really aggressive words said to him by a much older man, who has been in the game for a long time. The captain of my club stood up for him," Mitchell said.
"It is really tough to sit here right now, getting pressure from the AFL to make sure you’re in the press conference on time.
"I understand the emotions of this time of year. It is really, really difficult. I’m proud of our captain, who would have been just as emotional. He was able to stand up and lead in a way that he can be proud of."
Hinkley's exchange came after a thrilling semi-final that came down to the wire, with the Power progressing to their fourth preliminary final under Hinkley, against Sydney next Friday night at the SCG.
"It was certainly a really big win for us this year, and we’ve been through a lot. To do what we were able to do tonight was a great performance," Hinkley said.
"I think we prepared really well for the game. We knew what we had to take away from Hawthorn and I thought we did that really, really well, and we had to stick really strongly to that plan."
The coach paid tribute to wingman Jase Burgoyne, who moved to half-back out of necessity and was among the game's best players in a Power backline that stood tall.
Young star Jason Horne-Francis was helped from the ground late with trainers after spending the fourth quarter as a deep forward, but Hinkley said it was a case of cramp and the midfield jet would be available against the Swans.
The coach was hopeful key forward Charlie Dixon would be cleared for the preliminary final after battling illness in the build-up to Friday night's match and being withdrawn late.
Half-back Kane Farrell appears a long shot, with Hinkley reluctant to take any sort of risk in a massive final as the important defender races the clock to recover from a hamstring injury.
On the pressure he had faced himself this week, with speculation he would part with the Power if the club exited finals in straight sets, Hinkley said he was confident the storyline had not distracted the players.
"It's part of the territory that goes with it, and I understand the language around it, because I have been around for a long time," he said.
"It's just a bit more matter of fact around what footy is sometimes.
"This club is known for its fight and its willingness to keep having a crack, and I thought they did that really well.
"I thought the whole club and the whole footy department was really in tune with what we needed to do, and we were going to give ourselves a great chance."
