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AAP
AAP
Sport
Steve Larkin

Hinkley's future as Port coach untenable: Tredrea

Port Adelaide legend Warren Tredrea (right) has questioned Ken Hinkley's future as head coach. (James Baker/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Ken Hinkley's future as Port Adelaide's head coach is untenable amid a growing disconnect between the club and its fans, Power great Warren Tredrea says.

Tredrea, the only man to captain Port to an AFL premiership, believes Hinkley will not be reappointed next season.

Hinkley falls off-contract at the end of this season, his 11th as Port's coach.

The club and coach have put any negotiations on hold until at least August.

"There is an element of fans' disconnect with their board and with their coach," Tredrea told the Big Deal podcast on Monday.

"And I just look where Ken Hinkley sits. He has been there for 10 years, he is contracted until the end of the year.

"It looks, albeit in round three, it just looks untenable.

"I get it is early in the season. But it is, 'You know what, he is not going to be there in 2024'. I can't see it.

"If he does, well then I will be the first to say 'well done'. But right now it just looks untenable."

Port missed last year's playoffs after being beaten in consecutive preliminary finals in 2020 and 2021.

Ken Hinkley (3rd right) continues to coach well, says assistant Port Adelaide mentor Josh Carr. (Matt Turner/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

This season, they have one win and two losses after conceding 39 goals in consecutive defeats to Collingwood and arch-rivals Adelaide.

Tredrea in January bid to join the club's board but was blocked by president David Koch.

Koch said at the time he was unwilling to make a so-called "captain's call" and appoint Tredrea ahead of board elections in December.

Tredrea said he understood if critics linked his Monday comments with his board bid.

"But what I am going to say is that I have never been more disconnected from my club," he said.

Tredrea said many Port fans were tired of the club "constantly talking up stuff" but failing to deliver on-field.

"There is a disconnect between (the club) and their members," he said.

"And it just doesn't seem like they are on the same page because (the fans) are sick of the promises and they want to see action on the field.

Tredrea led the Power to victory in the 2004 grand final as acting captain in the absence of regular skipper Matthew Primus, who was injured.

He remains the club's all-time leading goalkicker with 548 goals from 255 games between 1997 and 2010.

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