The Tasmania Devils have named former Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley as inaugural head coach for their 2028 AFL debut.
The appointment was confirmed today (July 20) by the club, the Australian Football League (AFL) and Tasmanian government.
Devils chairman Grant O’Brien says he is “thrilled” to announce the news after a “thorough and complete” search was carried out.
“We didn’t set out to find the candidate with the single best win-loss record in this process; we set out to find the right coach for exactly what Tasmania needs right now,” he says.
“Ken’s ability to build relationships with young players and to build an environment that people want to be part of is exceptional — it is the number one reason we believe he is the right fit for this club.
“It’s a huge privilege to be given the opportunity to build something from the very beginning,” Hinkley, 59, told the club’s website (www.devilsfc.com.au/).
“The responsibility to lead Tasmania’s entry into the AFL is something very special, it excites me.
“There will be many ups and downs and challenges that lie ahead, including the build of our football department, but I have unique and directly relevant experience to take these on alongside the broader football club.”
UNKNOWN ROAD AHEAD FOR DEVILS
Hinkley won the role from former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley and ex-Sydney Swans boss John Longmire.
O’Brien points out that the debutant club will have to build from the ground up in terms of programs and playing roster.
“That demands a head coach who is, first and foremost, a brilliant teacher and a builder of people. That is exactly what Ken is,” he says.
Hinkley coached the Power from 2013-25 with a success record of 58.6% (or 174 wins from 297 games); he led Port to seven finals campaigns, a minor premiership in 2020 and finished as the Power’s most successful coach, the Devils say.
The Tasmanian club expects to name their inaugural
AFLW head coach by the end of this year.
The AFL says Hinkley is on a five-year deal that starts on November 1 although he is expected to start working immediately to build the club, the Devils add.
“We’re going to aim for the top and aim for as big as we can,” Hinkley says about recruitment.
“We’ll go after everyone that’s possible and make sure we give it a great shot. There’ll be knock-backs, but there’ll be some ‘yeses’.
“We won’t out any limits on who we go after; we’ll just go after the right people. But they have to be the right people, not just people.”
GOVT WELCOMES APPOINTMENT
Tasmania’s Sport Minister, Nick Duigan says the news is “a huge step” in bringing an AFL team dream closer to reality.
“Ken’s appointment is the next step in laying the foundations for our team’s entry into the competition,” he says.
“Having someone as passionate and dedicated to football as Ken will drive our team to success ahead of our entry to the AFL and beyond.”
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