OLLIE Wines plays like a ''beast'' and that's what Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is demanding from his midfield star.
Wines turned in a superb performance for the Power in Saturday night's gutsy 15-point Showdown loss to Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
The 21-year-old collected 28 possessions including 16 contested, made six tackles, had 10 clearances and seven Inside 50s.
Power great Kane Cornes tweeted that he thought Wines was unlucky to miss out on the Showdown Medal, which went to Adelaide's Matt Crouch.
Hinkley had other ideas, nominating Eddie Betts for his five-goal haul, but lauded Wines for the extra responsibility he has taken on this season.
"I thought Eddie Betts was stiff, I might have been a bit hurt by the scoreboard," Hinkley said.
"Ollie has grown enormously at our football club.
"He's been great all the way through, but his last six weeks he's decided ‘there's a way we're going to play and there's a way I'm going to try to lead you to play’.
"Along with the other leaders, he's really stepped up. He should take an enormous pat on the back.
"He's a beast, that's the way he plays and that's the way he's got to play."
The Power went into the 41st Showdown as rank outsiders, but kicked the last three goals of the third quarter to close within a single point at the last change.
Hinkley made the unusual decision to move the team's three-quarter time huddle in front of their supporters at the southern end of the ground in front of the goals.
Five talking points: Port Adelaide v Adelaide
"It was definitely a play on emotions," Hinkley said.
"We're a family at Port and we stick together.
"That was our small way of thanking them for not the greatest season so far."
The undermanned Power have had a disappointing season on their way to missing the finals for a second straight year.
"Structurally, I thought we stuck really strong," Hinkley said.
"We had 10 of our best 22 probably not out there tonight and they had their best 22 out there.
"It just shows if we bring the effort and stick to what we know, the personnel … we'd love to have them, but it's not the be all or end all.''
Ultimately, the Power paid the price for turning the ball over too often.
WATCH Ken Hinkley's full media conference
"Our persistence almost won it for us, our willingness to stay dirty, hard in the contest," Hinkley said.
"All those things are crucial. What lost it for us was turnover - I can't hide away from that.
"Eleven goals, (and) four (behinds) they scored from turnovers - 80 points.
"Some of that they create, some of that we create.''
