Hinkley to lead Devils into AFL

FORMER Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has been appointed the Tasmania Devils’ inaugural AFL head coach, marking another major step towards the club’s 2028 entry into the national competition.

Hinkley has signed a five-year deal that will take him through to the end of the 2031 season, following a year-long search that also attracted former AFL coaches John Longmire and Nathan Buckley.

The 59-year-old coached Port Adelaide from 2013 to 2025, leading the club to seven finals series and the 2020 minor premiership. He was also twice named AFL Coaches Association Coach of the Year.

Hinkley said it was a privilege to become the first senior coach in the Devils’ history.

“It’s a huge privilege to be given the opportunity to build something from the very beginning,” he said.

“The responsibility to lead Tasmania’s entry into the AFL is something very special and it excites me.

“Tasmania is a proud football state, and I can’t wait to get to know the players, staff, partners and community who have, and will continue to be, part of this from day one.”

Devils chair Grant O’Brien said Hinkley’s ability to develop young players and build strong relationships had made him the right person for the role.

“We didn’t set out to find the candidate with the single best win-loss record; we set out to find the right coach for exactly what Tasmania needs right now,” he said.

“Ken’s ability to build relationships with young players and create an environment people want to be part of is exceptional.”

Hinkley said Tasmania’s long football history made the opportunity particularly meaningful.

“As much as we’re a start-up club, we’re a football state,” he said.

“In 100 years’ time, when Tasmania has won so many premierships, people will look back and ask who the first coach was, and my name will be there forever.”

Hinkley will begin working with the club’s football department ahead of the Devils’ AFL debut in 2028, while the club expects to appoint its inaugural AFLW head coach by the end of this year.