THERE'S no doubt in Ken Hinkley's mind that Ollie Wines will remain at Port Adelaide next season, with the Port Adelaide coach declaring the out-of-contract midfielder will be "a significant part" of the club's future.
Wines, 23, sent the rumour mill into overdrive on Monday when he said he was "not comfortable signing at the moment".
However, Wines' non-commitment hasn't swayed Hinkley's belief the tough Victorian – who is slated as the Power's next captain – will "absolutely" remain at Alberton.
"I know my players really well, and I know what Ollie's like, and I know what he'll be thinking, and that's that he's a part of this team," Hinkley told AFL.com.au on Tuesday.
"Ollie's a Port Adelaide player and we're very comfortable he'll be at Port Adelaide for a period of time.
"Ollie's got every right, like every player does, to work their way through a negotiation, but I have absolute faith and belief that Ollie Wines will be a part of the Port Adelaide future – and a significant part.
"He knows that, he's our vice-captain, he's a young vice-captain, and it's pretty clear the path we're trying to push Ollie on."
The Power have been publicly confident they'll retain Wines, with CEO Keith Thomas declaring on Saturday he was "not particularly concerned" about the timeline of negotiations.
But Wines – who was taken with pick No.7 overall in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft – then said on Monday he wasn't in a hurry.
"I wouldn't say I need a resolution, it's just I'm not comfortable signing at the moment," Wines told Fox Sports News.
"As far as I'm concerned I've got eight months to go [on my contract] and I'll do everything I can for those eight months.
"I'll look to sign when I can, but at the moment I'm just focusing on getting my body right for round one and playing some good footy."
The Power are proud of their recent player retention rate and ability to lure players, proven in 2017 when they landed all their experienced targets.
Wines, from Victorian town Echuca, said there wasn't a "go-home" factor at Port Adelaide because of the large number of interstate players on the list and the family-like environment.
But, he said he needed more time to consider what happened beyond next season.
"There's always stuff to consider when you're going to sign a contract," Wines said.
"You've got to tie yourself down for a few years, so there's always people to talk to and things to think about.
"That time will come and it'll happen sooner rather than later."
Wines' comments prompted former club champion Kane Cornes to suggest something had changed in the past few days for the Power star to alter his public stance.
"About a week ago he said that he was really happy and that he loves the club and he doesn't expect any issues with it," Cornes told SEN.
"The language that he's used, perhaps it says to me, is there a St Kilda or is there a club with money that has heard his comments from a week ago and said, we've got to act now and offer this young man an offer that he just can't refuse.
"Is it a seven-year $1.2 million Dustin Martin-style of deal? Now that's big money for what Ollie Wines has done in the game but he's future captain of Port Adelaide, he's hard and tough and give you quality."
However, Hinkley remains steadfast his hard nut isn't going anywhere, nor is the Power's only free agent Justin Westhoff.
"'Hoff' (Westhoff) couldn't go anywhere, he's the beard from Port. It's just the way it is – he's part of the furniture," he said.
