KEN Hinkley will hand over the coaching reins at Port Adelaide to Josh Carr for 2026, with Hinkley to coach his final season at the Power this year.

Port Adelaide players were informed of the historic coaching transfer on Wednesday morning.

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It comes after Hinkley has had discussions with Port football boss Chris Davies in recent weeks of the pre-season about his future, with the Power now committing to the official succession plan. 2004 premiership player Carr will take on the role at the end of the 2025 season, no matter how the Power fare this year, as Hinkley completes his 13th and final year in charge of the team.

Carr has agreed to a three-year deal as senior coach, starting in 2026 and running through to 2028. He will be more involved in the Power's recruiting and list management meetings and strategy this season, but there will be little other change to the club's setup, with Hinkley to continue in all normal senior coaching duties and with no formal changes to game-day responsibilities.

Hinkley signed a two-year contract extension late in 2023 through to the end of 2025 and has worked with the club and Carr in the past two years to help prepare his midfield assistant for the senior role. The announcement ahead of round one and the Power's practice games gives clarity to the situation and allows Port to attack the flag one last time under Hinkley without the uncertain spectre of being out of contract.

A confirmed finish for Hinkley at Alberton Oval for this year has only recently been officially decided, with Carr to be only the Power's fifth full-time senior coach. He will take over from Hinkley, who was appointed to the role ahead of the 2013 season and has steered the club to seven finals series, with an overall winning percentage of 60.

"I've enjoyed open dialogue with the club for some time now in regards to this being my final season in charge," Hinkley said.

"I, along with our leaders at the club, always have an eye for the future and as I've been saying for the last year, Josh Carr is absolutely the best person to take over as senior coach at the right time.

"I still have a burning desire to lead this club in 2025. I'm fresh and recharged and have the privilege of leading a very driven playing and coaching group.

"But come the end of the season, it will be time to hand the baton to Josh who would have experienced a further 12 months' growth as a senior assistant. Without question, Josh will be ready to coach in his own right."

Hinkley told reporters at a media conference on Wednesday morning that the move to step down "doesn't feel great, but it feels right".

Making it public will remove the distraction of speculation about Hinkley's future that has hung over the club in recent years.

"I am still right to do it, I still have the energy to do it, I still have the passion to do it," Hinkley said.

"I think there is still some help that I can give the club and Josh to be 100 per cent ready.

"What I do like is the clarity of this for us and the footy club ... allows us great preparation time. It doesn’t jeopardise our program, for those who think it will. We have too good of a program with great people that it would have any damage done.

"All it will do is reinforce our commitment."

Hinkley started at the Power when the club was in financial ruin and has been a pivotal force in the reestablishment of Port as a regular flag contender, making the preliminary final in four seasons as well as helping guide it to off-field stability and record membership. 

Since taking over at the start of 2013, Port has won 165 games (including finals), behind only Geelong and Sydney in that time. Since the start of 2020, the Power has defied expectations of dropping down the ladder, winning 77 games, which is behind only Geelong and Brisbane in the period, marking the club's consistency across Hinkley's tenure. 

The coach has also been pivotal in player retention at the club, forging strong relationships with stars, including midfield jet Zak Butters, who have had lucrative deals thrown their way to return to home states. 

Carr's ascent to be the next coach at Port Adelaide became clearer when he knocked back Richmond's overtures to be the Tigers' next senior coach in 2023 to stick with Port, where he had returned following his stint as an assistant with Fremantle. 

He has a jam-packed coaching resume, including coaching North Adelaide's 2018 SANFL premiership, which included now Power skipper Connor Rozee before he was drafted, and has built strong relationships with the Port Adelaide list since returning to the club.

"It's an honour and a privilege to be chosen as one of the core leaders of this football club," Carr said on Wednesday.

"I feel like I owe the club a lot."