PORT ADELAIDE coach Ken Hinkley says his side is hurting from its heart-breaking after-the-siren loss to West Coast on Saturday evening but the result won’t kill off its season.
The Power jumped the Eagles early and never fell behind until a goal after the siren by Jeremy McGovern after he had marked with less than 30 seconds to play.
The result means the Power has yet to beat the Eagles in five attempts at Adelaide Oval and Hinkley says after last week’s Showdown disappointment, the team now has everything to play for in its last two games.
“It was incredibly disappointing but as a footy club that happens and you deal with it,” he said after the game.
“We’ve worked really hard this year to get where we are. The last couple of weeks have hurt but won’t kill us, it’s hurt us but it won’t kill us and we’ll keep coming.
“That’s what we’ll do, we’ll attack the next couple of weeks, we’re currently still a part of it and we’re going to do everything we can to make sure we’re a part of it because we deserve to be a part of it and we’ve just got to keep at it.
“Disappointment hurts you for a little while but it’s critical that we get over this and get on with it because we’ve got a season to play for.”
Injuries to ruckman Paddy Ryder (hip flexor), and then Charlie Dixon (ankle) and Dan Houston (neck) in the space of 20 third-quarter seconds, left the Power with just 19 fit players to finish the game.
Hinkley said Dixon would not play again this season while Houston and Ryder could play against Collingwood at the MCG next week.
Hinkley said the injuries made it hard for his side.
“They hurt us, you can’t hide from the fact that you lose players, particularly two in 20 seconds – it was quite amazing the carnage out there,” he said.
“We had every chance still to win though.
“With 1:10 to play we’re still eight points up so we didn’t give up but we didn’t play it perfectly in that last 70 seconds.
“We probably gave them a chance to win and we shouldn’t have.
Hinkley said he had a bad feeling when he saw McGovern float forward after Mark LeCras had put the Eagles within two points with 45 seconds remaining.
He said the result would give his side a harsh lesson, but he knew it would be up for the fight for the last two games of the season.
“It felt like we were giving everything right until the last moment and it just felt like it was going to get stolen,” Hinkley said.
“West Coast were coming at us hard for 40 or 50 minutes but it just felt like you’re not going to get there.
“We live and learn, we get over it and get on with it and we charge on to the MCG.
“We can’t dwell on it, there’s no time at this time of year.”
Hinkley was full of praise for young forward Aidyn Johnson, back in the side in a defensive role on All-Australian McGovern.
He booted three goals and kept McGovern quiet until the death.
The Power’s finals chances now hinge on its last two games against the Magpies at the MCG and Essendon at Adelaide Oval and Hinkley said there was no doubt his side would fight to get what they deserve.
“The good part is that there’s so much to play for,” he said.
“I look at it as a great opportunity, why not, let’s take them on – let’s take the world on.
“Let’s have a crack at this and not dwell at what’s gone against us, let’s look at the opportunities in front of us.
“That’s what I’m like, I look at the opportunities in front of us so Collingwood at the MCG here we come.”
