PORT ADELAIDE Chairman David Koch believes senior coach Ken Hinkley is having a good year in charge, despite some inconsistent form from his side this season.
Koch has been pleased with the game-style change this season, and believes a tidy up in a few areas will turn the club’s fortunes around.
“I think he is coaching at the top of his game,” Koch told SEN SA’s Breakfast program.
“I think if you look at all the stats that come up in terms of this year’s game plan - like Saturday night, the frustrating thing is we won every stat - there are just one or two areas that we need to click to turn around.
“At the board meeting last week, Kenny came in and gave us a stunning presentation all based on stats - none of this, we’ve to do this, we’ve got to do that - let’s see the proof, and he went through it.
“And again, this is the frustrating bit but there are just a couple of areas to improve on, and then we’re going well.”
The Chairman says the young players have produced a new energy to the group, paying special praise to last year’s first-round draft picks in particular.
“The three young draft picks (Rozze, Butters and Duursma) have just been extraordinary for us,” Koch said.
“Weekly, I keep thinking surely they’re going to hit a wall, surely they’re going to hit a wall as first year (players) usually do and they just keep going.”
The Power has the chance to bounce back from last weekend’s disappointing 25-point loss to the Western Bulldogs, with a huge Showdown clash with Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
A game and rivalry that Koch says is like nothing else on the Australian sporting landscape.
“I think we forget what an absolute privilege it is to be a part of Showdowns,” he said.
“We get so tense, we get so grumpy about it, or we get so focused but you know arguably this is the greatest sporting rivalry in Australian football across any code.
“There is nothing like a Showdown. There never will be because of how we both came into the league.
“It’s fabulous, but always very tense, particularly for presidents because you’ve got a lot riding on it.”
The Power faces the Crows in Showdown XLVII on Saturday afternoon, with the first bounce commencing at 4.05pm.
