THE AFL has issued a 'please explain' to Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley following his post-game interaction with Hawthorn players on Friday night.
Hinkley sparked plenty of backlash for taunting Hawks star Jack Ginnivan immediately after his side's semi-final win at Adelaide Oval.
Hawks captain James Sicily was furious as the teams left the field on Friday night, firing back at Hinkley, with teammate Jarman Impey having the unenviable task of stopping the situation from escalating.
The AFL confirmed on Saturday it has issued the Power with a please explain over Hinkley's conduct, which took much of the focus away from a gutsy 11.9 (75) to 11.6 (72) win by the Power.
Port Adelaide chief executive Matthew Richardson said the club held talks with the AFL after receiving the 'please explain'.
"They have just asked for some extra details - they're really no different to the details that Ken provided himself last night in the press conference," Richardson told reporters on Saturday.
"Ken, he cares deeply about his players, he cares deeply about the footy club and sometimes that emotion comes out but that's one of the things we love about Ken."
Asked about potential sanctions, Richardson said: "That's really for the AFL ... we'll wait to hear from them."
The circuit breaker to the tense exchange was the teams applauding as Sicily helped chair off Hawks great Luke Breust following his 300th game.
Hinkley later explained he and Port had been riled during the week by Ginnivan, who had posted on social media "see u in 14 days" to Sydney ruckman Brodie Grundy.
Instead, it is Port who will meet the Swans next Friday night in a preliminary final.
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The Hawks' skipper went in to bat for his teammates again as they prepared to fly home on Saturday morning.
"I can't recall exactly what was said. He (Hinkley) was talking to our players and said something to Ginni," Sicily said.
"I think what I do as a leader is I always have my teammates' back and I will stick up for them regardless of who is in the right or the wrong.
"It is something I pride myself on and I don't regret it one bit really."
Sicily said the only thing he would change about the incident would be giving Breust a better acknowledgement for his milestone.
"That's probably the only thing I am disappointed in, that I wasn’t fully present in that moment," Sicily said.
"But yeah, it's not the first time that Ken has done that and it won't be the last. It's an emotional game and sometimes it gets the better of us.
"I think those things are better done behind closed doors, particularly when there was a moment to celebrate Punk (Breust). Instead there was gloss taken off it a little bit."
Former Hawthorn players Luke Hodge, Jordan Lewis and Shaun Burgoyne led the criticism of Hinkley in their roles as TV commentators.
"It was embarrassing, from my point of view. How he did it and where he did it, you understand Luke Breust was coming off, there was going to be a guard of honour,' Lewis said on Fox Footy.
Hodge was similarly unimpressed, saying on Channel Seven: "You use it as motivation to build the blokes up to say if he gets near the ball, you go and get him.
"But, as soon as you win and the siren goes, the game is over. He is a 60-year-old man. Act your age. You don't go and start stuff like that."
Burgoyne, also speaking on Seven, said Hinkley needed to be gracious in victory and added the Port players laughing was not a good look.
"Leave it for social media ... Luke Breust is being celebrated for his 300th game, show him the respect he deserves as well," said Burgoyne, who played for Port before going to the Hawks.
Asked post-game if he would seek Hinkley out to speak about the incident, Mitchell replied "absolutely not".
Hinkley quickly regretted his comments.
"It just goes to show that everyone can get better. I am trying to still get better," he said.
