Ken Hinkley, Port Adelaide’s longest serving AFL coach, has informed the club he will step aside from the senior coaching role at season’s end.
Current Port Adelaide senior assistant Josh Carr will replace Hinkley as senior coach for season 2026 on an initial three-year contract.
Port Adelaide chairman David Koch said Hinkley had approached the club during the off-season and confirmed 2025 would be his final season as senior coach.
“Ken has had open communications with the club over the pre-season and confirmed that 2025 would be his last season as senior coach of Port Adelaide,” Mr Koch said.
“As is his way, Ken has put the club first in acknowledging we have a coach in waiting in Josh Carr who will be primed to lead the club in 2026.
“Ken is as enthusiastic and energised as ever and wants nothing more than for the club to be successful both here and now, and into the future.
“Without question, Ken is the senior coach for this season. Whilst Josh will be our senior coach in 2026, he remains focused on his role in supporting Ken in 2025 and will be perfectly positioned to transition into the senior role at the end of the season.
“Our club is in a very fortunate position to have Ken continue to lead and coach our group this season, and to have Josh Carr, one of the most sought-after assistant coaches in the AFL, well prepared to take over in 2026.”
Mr Koch said the club had always maintained an eye for the future and was keen to develop from within.
“When we reappointed Ken in 2023, we were also focused on the future,” Mr Koch said.
“At that time, the club’s Board challenged CEO Matthew Richardson, GM – Football Chris Davies and the football department to ensure we had a viable internal candidate to be our next senior coach, whenever that time came. Good organisations are always planning for the future and ensuring they have the best people.
“As an organisation, we support the growth and development of our people to ensure our organisation continues to grow and prosper. Whether it be our chief executive, our head of high performance, or our next senior coach.
“The discussion with Josh at the end of 2023 was that we believed he had the right attributes to be an AFL senior coach in the future and hopefully the senior coach of Port Adelaide, and we wanted to continue to support that path for him.
“Across the last 18 months we’ve seen Josh continue to grow and develop and believe he is perfectly positioned to lead our club in his own right in 2026.
“We’re delighted to confirm this transition is now officially in place, with Josh now formally contracted as Port Adelaide senior coach from 2026 and beyond.”
An energised Hinkley said the timing was right for he, Carr and the club.
“I’ve enjoyed open dialogue with the club for some time now in regards to this being my final season in charge,” Hinkley said.
“I, along with our leaders at the club, always have an eye for the future and as I’ve been saying for the last year, Josh Carr is absolutely the best person to take over as senior coach at the right time.
“I still have a burning desire to lead this club in 2025. I’m fresh and recharged and have the privilege of leading a very driven playing and coaching group.
“But come the end of the season, it will be time to hand the baton to Josh who would have experienced a further 12 months’ growth as a senior assistant. Without question, Josh will be ready to coach in his own right.”
Carr said his total focus was on achieving team success in 2025.
“Whilst it’s an honour to have been appointed Port Adelaide’s next senior coach, my focus right now is to support Ken, the other coaches and players as best I can as we strive for success this season.
“Ken is the senior coach. I will continue as coach of our midfield group and take every opportunity to develop and grow as a coach across this season.”
