PORT ADELAIDE coach Ken Hinkley has credited staying in the moment and sticking to the process for his side’s third consecutive win.
Winless after five games, Hinkley’s side beat the Western Bulldogs by 17-points at Adelaide Oval on Friday night to make it three-in-a-row after wins over West Coast and St Kilda.
The 12.14 (86) to 10.9 (69) victory against the team that beat it comfortably in a disastrous Preliminary Final last season was important, but Hinkley said that was not because of a need for revenge.
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“We just needed to win tonight,” he explained. “It’s 2022, we’ve got to win in 2022 because of our (0-5) start.”
“We’re certainly going in the right direction but we know how hard this game is to play at this level and it doesn’t matter when and who you play, you’ve just got to continue to stay focussed on the now.
“I said that when we were in a bad position and I’m going to say it again now. We’ll focus on doing the right thing during the week and give us a chance.”
The Bulldogs kicked the opening two goals of the contest, bringing back bad memories for Hinkley of his side conceding the first five goals of the game in that ill-fated Prelim.
Slow starts have been a cause for concern within the walls at Alberton but the Port coach said on Friday night he had faith his side could stay composed and respond by focussing on what was in front of it.
“It would have been easy to say ‘hang on, it felt like I’ve been here before’. But we weren’t allowing that same thing to happen again and that was through staying in the moment,” he said.
“The start was way better than it has been, that’s what I’d say.
“We kicked five goals in the first quarter. We’ve just struggled to score in the first quarter so it was at least pleasing that we were able to hit the scoreboard.
“They’d made a good start and they’ve done that to us a few times but the reality is that we just stayed with what we had to do and that was to stay in the moment, stick to what we were planning to do… we were really sure the boys could react positively given some time to operate.”
The game was a tight, but free-flowing encounter until the third quarter when Port Adelaide booted five goals to two to put some distance between the sides.
Jeremy Finlayson (three goals) and Todd Marshall (two) were again prominent with Marshall taking a game-high eight marks including several at important times in that term.
With Charlie Dixon to make his return following ankle surgery in the SANFL on Saturday, there will be some consideration about how Finlayson, Marshall and Georgiades may play together with Dixon once he is fit.
Hinkley said he would rather have that problem, given he has had eight games without his 2021 leading goalkicker.
“Some of the bonuses of Charlie not being there is that the three boys who’ve been down there as talls are starting to work well together, the team is starting to understand them and I think they’re growing individually,” he explained.
“No-one could question Todd Marshall’s growth. I think it’s been outstanding. When he’s been needed to step up, he’s shown the faith that we’ve put in him over the journey is more than justified.
“He dominated the game for a patch, when it was really important. There’s nothing better than when you have a big forward who can do that for you.”
Riley Bonner rolling his ankle and being subbed out during the third quarter was the only dampener on the result, which sees Port continue the slow climb up the ladder.
Hinkley said at 3-5 there was still plenty of work ahead of his side, but there had always been belief in the group.
“Not too much has changed. We’re just executing it better,” he said.
“Let’s not forget in two or three of those games (we lost) we led by four goals. We led Brisbane by four goals at the Gabba – not many sides are going to do that.
“But we stayed in the moment. We had some people come back so that helped… and we had some people grow in some individual form.”
Port Adelaide will now enjoy an eight day break before playing North Melbourne in Hobart.
