PORT ADELAIDE has surged back into the top four after recording a gutsy win over St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It was a win that took “remarkable resilience” according to senior coach Ken Hinkley as his men navigated an uncertain build up and flew in and out of Melbourne on the same day under strict COVID-19 protocols to ensure the fixture could go ahead.
The injury rooms have also been filling up at Alberton in recent weeks and facing the prospect of a resurgent Saints outfit on their home deck, senior coach Ken Hinkley couldn’t help but be delighted by the outcome.
“We couldn’t be more pleased to be honest. There’s been a little bit of challenge for us over the last little bit,” Hinkley told reporters via Zoom in his post-match press conference.
“St Kilda have been in as good of form as anyone in the competition for the last three or four weeks.
“They’ve been playing really strong footy; playing for a position in the top eight.
“It was a strong win, a strong performance, more about the quality of the opposition and the position they put themselves in leading into this game.
“Take all the other (COVID-19) factors in and put them all together and it’s a pretty strong performance from our footy club.”
Hinkley admitted injuries had begun to test the depth of his playing list, with nearly his entire deployment of small forwards forced to the sidelines with various ailments.
However, he again praised the resilience of his playing group and their ability to embrace the “squad mentality”, dig deep and get the result required.
“We’ve been stretched a little bit (by injuries) no doubt,” he said.
“At the start of the year I said we would need a squad to get through this year and today we used that squad pretty deeply.
“I’m so proud of what the boys were able to do, but it is one of twenty-two and we need to keep collecting wins.”
Port’s win was again built on a strong combative game plan, winning both the clearance and contested footy battle against a St Kilda side that had thrived in that area in recent weeks.
Unsurprisingly, vice-captain Ollie Wines was in the thick of things with a team-high 36 possessions (18 contested) and game-high 11 clearances.
“He’s been in pretty good form. I’m not sure I can remember Ollie even having an average game to be fair to him. I think he’s had an outstanding season,” Hinkley said.
“We’ll let other people decide how good that season has been, but for us he has been an outstanding part of our team.
“Ollie’s performance on game day just keeps on a remarkable level and I hope it continues.”
Both teams at times struggled with accuracy in front of goals, but the Power was able to convert when it mattered, despite registering fewer inside 50s than the hosts.
At the forefront of its attack was high-flyer Mitch Georgiades, who equalled a career-best return with four goals, and Hinkley was full of praise for the young forward.
“It was handy to have someone kick four goals in a game. I think he is right up there in the conversation for rising stars when you think about the games he’s played this year,” he said.
“Mitch is growing each week.”
Hinkley is also hopeful his club’s wretched run with injury is finally coming to an end.
Zak Butters return from a knee injury suffered in his comeback from a separate ankle and knee issue is closing in, while fellow impact players Connor Rozee and Orazio Fantasia are also knocking on the door.
“We hope so,” Hinkley declared when questioned if Butters return would be sooner rather than later.
“We’d hope we have two or three blokes that may be pushing for return next week – Connor (Rozee) … Orazio Fantasia is getting closer by the day.
“If it’s not next week, it’ll be the week after. It’ll be what it’ll be … but we need to make sure they’re in great shape before we do that.
Port Adelaide will next week celebrate club champion Travis Boak’s 300th AFL game when it clashes with Collingwood.
The COVID-enforced snap lockdown has cast doubt over whether that game will be shifted from its Friday night marquee fixture, but Hinkley says his side remains focussed on its primary objective, winning.
“It’s pretty simple. We can control what we can control … we work from day-to-day now, we don’t work round-to-round,” Hinkley explained.
“All I know is our next game is a significant game for our footy club. Travis Boak will play his 300th game and that will be a really, really important for us.
“Trav has been a great player for our footy club so let’s bring on the next round, whenever that is.”
