AFL Port Adelaide v GWS Giants: All the news ahead of the round 22 clash
Port's big free kick difference "has nothing to do with umpires," but coach Ken Hinkley still wants answers about why his club gives so many of them away.
After a lengthy discussion with AFL umpires head Dan Richardson this week about the rules in marking battles, Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has gone to work on his team's worrisome free kick tendency.
The Power are now lowest in the league in free kick differential, having conceded 62 more free kicks than they've won thus far in 2023.
Port Adelaide's free kick total was 19-31 in their 12-point loss to Geelong last week, raising further concerns about the whistle.
While Hinkley blamed his team's "aggressive" nature for their struggles with free kicks, he did spend time walking over aerial contests with Richardson to teach his players proper technique.
There are many potential interpretations of the rules, making it difficult to convey to participants what is and is not acceptable behavior.
Hopefully it's okay if I state that Dan and I had a great talk this week about how we're both trying to help each other out and figure out how to play the game in the most effective way possible for us both.
Is it a reward for being an aggressive, assertive, offensive team that gets after the oppo? We have given away a lot of free kicks, but it has nothing to do with the umpires and everything to do with how we have been playing. I can't say.
A more balanced distribution of free kicks, or even a slight advantage for us, would be ideal, but in a game of football, there are bound to be ups and downs.
Despite a four-game losing streak, Hinkley said he has attempted to keep his players upbeat. He cited close losses to Collingwood in round 19 and Geelong last week as examples of "pretty solid" football.
The Power have dropped out of the top two in the standings this month, but they have a chance to regain their footing in the standings when they host the GWS Giants on Sunday.
"Sometimes that first win you are trying to break out of can be a bit scrappy and a bit ugly, but it can be the win you need to get going," he remarked.
Dante Visentini, a young ruckman, will be replaced in the ruck by Jeremy Finlayson on Sunday after suffering a "pretty short term" quad injury (according to coach Hinkley). Finlayson has played three games this season.
Hinkley expressed optimism that the club wouldn't have to make any adjustments for Sunday's game despite the widespread illness that hit Alberton this week.