Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is taking a glass half-full view of a two-point loss to Collingwood, admitting the epic contest confirmed his aspect are on a path to premiership rivalry.
Port managed giant parts and led for a lot of Saturday night time’s on the spot traditional on the Adelaide Oval, solely to fall sufferer to a different late Magpie cost as they coughed up a 17-point three-quarter-time lead.
They stay second on the ladder and look an awesome probability to play at dwelling within the first week of finals, with Hinkley suggesting each side would go away the sport extra assured of their course of.
“How could you not sit and look at it glass half-full?” he stated.
“That’s an outstanding game of football, and yeah, we lost and we lost at home and they will take a bit out of that … but we’re pretty young.
“We’ve acquired a good bit of development, and for those who did not take a look at a few of the stuff that we did on the market tonight with nice optimism, you are not desirous to.
“I’m bitterly disappointed and the team’s bitterly disappointed with a small margin loss, but we’ll learn a fair bit, I reckon.
“We get as a lot affirmation as Collingwood did, I’d think about.”
It’s the first time the Power have lost a close game this season, having won five games by seven points or fewer before being toppled by the fourth-quarter specialists.
Hinkley identified that as one area they would clearly need to improve to challenge for a flag, having made some sloppy decisions with ball-in-hand late in the piece to give Collingwood a sniff.
“They go exhausting they usually do not provide you with an opportunity at instances to get territory,” he stated.
“We gave them some ball in dangerous spots, that is what we are going to be taught somewhat bit from.
“When you play the best teams in the competition, if you give them that they make you pay and they went forward and kicked some amazing goals.”
Small ahead Willie Rioli may very well be in hassle with the match overview officer for an open-hand slap on Nathan Murphy within the ultimate quarter that left the Collingwood defender floored.
Rioli’s strike wasn’t overly forceful and Hinkley stated he believed there was nothing within the incident when requested about it in his press convention.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
