Port Adelaide is delighted to announce senior coach Ken Hinkley has agreed to a two-year contract extension.

Hinkley, who was first appointed Port Adelaide senior coach in October 2012, still has a year to serve on his existing contract, with this extension tying him to the club until at least the end of 2023.

Port Adelaide chairman David Koch said the club is thrilled to retain Hinkley as senior coach for the long-term.

“Ken has selflessly coached and rebuilt our football program to deliver what we think is best for the sustained success of our club. At Port Adelaide, we exist to win Premierships and our people have high expectations, which we wholeheartedly embrace going into 2021,” Mr Koch said.

“Ken has built a culture within our football program of care and connection. You could see how much the players were playing for each other and for Ken last season, and how much Ken savoured the success of his team.

“We think in Ken, his coaching group, the football department and our players, we have the ingredients to achieve the ultimate success, and we look forward to seeing that play out over the next three years.

“I often refer to the importance of stability in leadership positions in any organisation, especially football clubs. Clubs that have built eras of success, have all done so around strong and stable leadership. We are delighted that Ken has agreed to this extension.”

Hinkley said the decision to extend his contract was one he and his family were very comfortable with.

“I love everything this club stands for,” Hinkley said.

“We’re embracing the challenge of delivering sustained success for our people. That is what I crave as a coach of this playing group. I want this for our players and I want this for our community.

“We fell agonisingly short in our 150th year and that hurts. But I know our playing group and entire club has a burning desire to go further in 2021.”

Hinkley thanked the club for not only supporting him but also his football program.

“When you see the club’s commitment to the football program and our coaches’ commitment to the club, it provides a great platform from which to achieve,” he said.

“The passion and commitment of our members and partners is something that fuelled us in what was an incredibly challenging year 2020, and I know our coaches and players are driven to return that faith in 2021 more than ever.”