KEN Hinkley loves the Port Adelaide faithful.
Over 43,000 turned up on Easter Sunday to see the Power take on the Saints at Adelaide Oval – a gesture the senior coach says speaks volumes about the Port Adelaide community.
And he took advantage of a break in questioning during the post-match conference to address it.
“Did you want to talk about the 44,000 people that turned up on Easter Sunday at Adelaide Oval to welcome the Port Adelaide Football Club back to season 2016?” he asked the room.
“I thought it was outstanding, I got there today, looked around and though ‘wow, our people have heard the cry’, they said ‘we’re going to turn up for you’- and I’m glad the side delivered for what they had come to see.”
It’s for that reason the club decided to broadcast Hinkley’s pre-game address on Adelaide Oval’s big screen just before the first bounce.
“We wanted to welcome our people back to the footy,” he said.
“[To the supporters]: Have a listen to what the players are going to have a listen to, understand what you bring to the team as the supporters, and understand the importance you play in every game you turn up for.
“Port Adelaide is one big family – not just the players, not just the crowd – and we need to work collectively together.”
Sunday’s clash marked the biggest home-and-away attendance at a Power-Saints game in the AFL.
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