Hinkley holds the VFL/AFL record for the most games coached at a single club without appearing in a grand final, and the fifth-most games coached without winning a premiership.[1]
Hinkley dropped out of high school at 16 to become a semi-professional footballer with the Fitzroy Football Club in the VFL despite the club encouraging him to complete his schooling.[2]
Playing career
Fitzroy (1987–1988)
In 1987 Hinkley made his VFL debut as a forward for Fitzroy in a match against North Melbourne at Waverley Park. Hinkley did not enjoy his time in Melbourne and was approached by Geelong at the end of the 1988 VFL season.[3]
Geelong (1989–1995)
Hinkley moved to Geelong for the 1989 VFL season and it was at his second club where he played his best football as a rebounding defender. Hinkley walked out of Fitzroy in 1988 and asked for a clearance to Geelong. He stood out of football for the rest of 1988 season before being traded to Geelong for the 1989 season. A half back flanker in the 1991 and 1992 All-Australian teams, Hinkley also won a Carji Greeves Medal as Geelong's best and fairest player in the 1992 AFL season. In the same year he finished third at the Brownlow Medal count, behind winner Scott Wynd and Hawthorn's Jason Dunstall. He appeared in 12 finals with Geelong, including the 1992, 1994 and 1995 Grand Final losses.
Hinkley returned to Camperdown and coached the club to back-to-back premierships in 1999 and 2000, the former as captain-coach.[5]
St Kilda assistant coach (2001)
St Kilda acquired his services as an assistant coach in 2001 under senior coaches Malcolm Blight and Grant Thomas, but he left the club after one season.[6]
Bell Park senior coach (2002–2003)
The year after leaving St Kilda he took up the role of senior coach of Bell Park in the Geelong Football League and oversaw a premiership in 2003.[7]
Geelong assistant coach (2004–2009)
He resumed his AFL coaching career in 2004, as an assistant coach under senior coach Mark Thompson at Geelong, and was part of the coaching group in their 2007 and 2009 AFL premierships. Hinkley left Geelong at the end of the 2009 season.[8][9]
Gold Coast assistant coach (2011–2012)
At the end of the 2009 season, Hinkley was announced as an assistant coach at the new Gold Coast Football Club under senior coach Guy McKenna.[10][11] Hinkley served as assistant coach for the Suns in their inaugural season in the 2011 season and the 2012 season.[12] during this period, Hinkley also interviewed for the Richmond, Geelong and St Kilda senior coach positions but was unsuccessful.
Port Adelaide senior coach (2013–2025)
Hinkley talking to his Port Adelaide players in 2014
On 8 October 2012, Hinkley was announced as the senior coach of Port Adelaide, making him the first coach to not have a prior association with the club since Fos Williams. Hinkley replaced Port Adelaide caretaker senior coach Garry Hocking, who replaced Matthew Primus, after Primus was sacked during the 2012 season.[13] In his debut season, Hinkley led Port to 13 wins, which included an elimination final win at the MCG against Collingwood before being eliminated by Geelong in a close game a week later. This came to a surprise to many as Port Adelaide had only won eight games in the previous two seasons combined. For his impressive season, Hinkley was voted as the Coach of the Year by the AFL Coaches Association.
A year later, despite predictions by many that Port Adelaide would miss the finals, Hinkley led the club to a preliminary final finish; having finished the minor rounds in fifth place on the ladder, the Power defeated Richmond and Fremantle in their first two finals before losing to eventual premiers Hawthorn.[14]
The Power narrowly missed out on qualifying for finals in 2015 and 2016, though returned to the post-season playoffs in 2017, only to be defeated in a home elimination final against the West Coast Eagles following a kick after the siren in extra-time. It was during this season that Hinkley's contract with Port Adelaide was extended to the end of 2021.[15] In 2018 and 2019 the club again missed the finals, despite recording 50% or higher win-loss records in both years.
Hinkley's side bolted up the ladder in the COVID-19 affected 2020 season, recording its fourth AFL minor premiership. The club qualified for a home preliminary final though were defeated by reigning premiers Richmond in a tight contest at Adelaide Oval. Hinkley signed a contract extension until the end of 2023.[16] In 2021 Port Adelaide finished second on the ladder and again reached a home preliminary final, though on this occasion they were comprehensively beaten by the Western Bulldogs.
The following year the club slipped out of the top eight, heaping pressure on Hinkley ahead of his final contracted season in 2023. Despite the pressure, club officials extended Hinkley's contract to the end of the 2025 season in mid-2023, shortly after the team locked in a top four spot and a return to finals.[17] Port were knocked out of the finals series after consecutive losses to Brisbane and Greater Western Sydney.[18] They became the 11th team since 2000 to bow out of a finals series in straight sets.[19]
Hinkley's position came under further scrutiny in 2024 following a heavy mid-season loss to Brisbane, though the club rebounded to again qualify in the top four, which culminated in a fourth preliminary final defeat, this time to Sydney.[20][21] In February 2025, ahead of the final year of his contract, club chairman David Koch announced that Hinkley's tenure as coach would conclude at the end of the 2025 season, and that his position would be filled by assistant coach Josh Carr in 2026.[22]
Hinkley's final season was marked by indifferent form, as the side suffered from five defeats in excess of 70 points and finished with a 9-14 win-loss record, the worst in his thirteen seasons in the position. In his final game as coach, the team held on for a narrow four-point victory against finals contenders Gold Coast, with Hinkley's retirement coinciding with the club's games-record holder and former captain Travis Boak.[23] Port Adelaide finished the season in 13th position.
Hinkley is the longest-serving coach of any AFL club to not qualify for a Grand Final. Despite this, he ended as the longest-serving senior AFL coach in the history of the club with a win-loss percentage higher than any of his predecessors.[24]
Personal life
Hinkley is married to high school sweetheart Donna and the couple have three children, Lisa, Bec and Jordan.[2] Jordan Hinkley is employed by the Port Adelaide Football Club as a Football Analyst.[25] Prior to COVID-19 one of Hinkley's daughters and her husband were also employed by the Port Adelaide Football Club.
Hinkley is a cousin of former Geelong player Gary Rohan.[26]
Hinkley is an avid supporter of greyhound racing and is actively involved in the sport as a part-owner. He is a member of a syndicate that includes current and former players from the Port Adelaide Football Club, as well as Chris Davies, the General Manager of Football Operations for the club.[27]
Victoria 17.14 (116) defeated Tasmania 14.20 (104), at North Hobart Oval, 28 May 1991 Queensland 23.14 (152) defeated Victoria 15.8 (108), at The Gabba, 16 July 1991
Victoria 23.19 (157) defeated Western Australia 13.12 (90), at the MCG, 26 May 1992 South Australia 19.19 (133) defeated Victoria 18.12 (120), at Football Park, 7 July 1992
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