AFTER two long, COVID-hit seasons that asked more of senior coaches, players and football staffers than before, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley enjoyed an off-season of family time. His son Jordan got married as did his daughter Bec, with ceremonies in Adelaide and Hamilton Island, and the Hinkley family welcomed a granddaughter, Addison, into the world.

Amongst the pressures of hubs, tests, travel, wins, losses and preliminary finals of the past two AFL seasons, it was a break Hinkley enjoyed. But never far from Hinkley's mind was his second family – that of the Alberton Oval community, who have come close to securing their second AFL flag over those two years but fallen short at the penultimate weekend.

"No matter where you are as a football coach or a player, I'm sure it's always in the background, it's always there. I was lucky enough that I had some good family stuff go on over the break," Hinkley told AFL.com.au.

"There was some nice stuff that went on that really made that time away really enjoyable. I value those [moments]. I really think they're important to anyone.

"Family is first and foremost to me and closely second is Port Adelaide. But those moments in your life as a grandparent now and a father, you create this family and you bring the family up and you just wish for them to do well, and you see some of the joys they're now starting to experience which we've been through myself and [wife] Donna, so they're special moments for us."

Hinkley's Port Adelaide has had its fair share of special moments over the past two seasons, when it has been the 'winningest' side in the AFL, tallying a competition-high 33 victories. Next best is Geelong with 31. It has become a consistent, entertaining, productive team, but will rue consecutive preliminary final defeats at home at Adelaide Oval, first to Richmond in 2020 and last year's crushing 71-point loss to the Western Bulldogs.

"It was devastating for us. We had everything we wanted for that game and were in the position we wanted and weren't able to capitalise on it," Hinkley said.

While others in a similar position may force themselves off watching the Grand Final the following week, Hinkley tuned in as Melbourne romped to its first flag since 1964.

"We all say we don't, but we all probably have a sneaky look because we're envious of what's going on in front of us. That's our dream and that's our goal as a footy club and me as a coach is to make it to a Grand Final and to win a Grand Final. We don't mind saying that," he said. "I certainly tune in and have a look because it makes me hungrier to get there."

Hinkley and the Power are putting everything into making their dream a reality in 2022, which will be the coach's 10th season in charge. Hinkley has overseen many shifts from Port Adelaide in that time: he took over a bottom-five team that played at AAMI Stadium with a battling membership base and little appeal, and seen it rise into a reliable, contending side sparked by youth and an exciting brand off-field.  

He has also seen a change in the role overall and the demands of senior coaches across the League.

"I'm really grateful for a footy club that's been able to back me in for that period of time. Ultimately, we strive to be successful together and I'm sure that if year 10 is that year then I'll be very grateful to that too and grateful for the club for sticking with us," he said.

"It's certainly changing. The way you have to handle the players and people today, there's a lot of people you have to support and listen to and guide.

"I've got great people who assist me, they all do a fabulous job. The key to coaching today is trusting those people and letting them do it. I can only see that growing. If you don't rely on the people you've got around you helping and supporting you, then the job's too big for one person."

Contracted to the end of 2023, Hinkley has his eyes on the prize at Port Adelaide, an ambition the club is never afraid to promote. But could he ever see himself coaching elsewhere?

"I couldn't imagine doing anything else other than what I've done for such a long period of time. I'm 55, I'm getting old!" he said. "I'm not sure. In this game when your time's up your time is usually up. I've been lucky and grateful to Port Adelaide and I'll always be that way."

This off-season has been a different one for Hinkley, with the departures of experienced assistants Michael Voss (to Carlton) and Jarrad Schofield (West Coast). Hinkley had helped develop Voss' credentials by allowing him to build training programs and grow his responsibilities at the club in recent seasons, so has been more hands-on in some aspects since Voss took on the senior job at the Blues in his return to the coaching hot seat.

What Hinkley's seen from his players has him excited.

He's keen to throw Zak Butters into a full-time midfield role and watch his ascent into one of the competition's best, and will also use fellow 2018 draft guns Connor Rozee and Xavier Duursma in the middle.

He's looking forward to watching Dan Houston, Riley Bonner, Ryan Burton and Darcy Byrne-Jones develop further as they enter their prime, whilst is also enthused by the energy and talent that Mitch Georgiades, Miles Bergman, Josh Sinn and Willem Drew bring to the group.

Hinkley is still weighing up what his best group of tall forwards looks like with Charlie Dixon "touch and go" for round one with his ankle issue, but Jeremy Finlayson is now at the club alongside Todd Marshall and Georgiades, while having a two-ruck combination with Scott Lycett and Sam Hayes is also up for discussion after Peter Ladhams' exit to Sydney at the end of last year.

He knows what his senior group, led by Travis Boak, Robbie Gray, Tom Jonas and Ollie Wines, will provide and is watching for who joins them within that hierarchy. On Wines, last year's (and Port Adelaide's first ever) Brownlow medallist, Hinkley admits it will be difficult to top his powerhouse 2021 season.

"It's going to be hard for 'Ol'. He's such a competitor though and he'll keep working hard at his game. I think if he just becomes as damaging, hard and tough as he's ever been then we shouldn't expect too much more, other than Ollie will certainly lead the way when it comes to being physical around the ball."

The Port pieces are there and Hinkley said he can see within his players they are ready to put them together.

"I can only measure them by their daily output and if you look at their daily output that they put up for us every time they get into train, their desire and want to get there is off the charts. It's as high as it can ever possibly be," he said.

"We don't shy away from the fact this football club expects to win a premiership in 2022. We also understand the challenges with that and if you get distracted by anything you'll get lost and you won't even be a chance to be playing in a premiership decider.

"We need to stay focused on today and if you look at the boys and their intent and attitude you have to suggest they're ready to have a crack."