Unsigned Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley is expected to have his future at Alberton confirmed in a matter of weeks, with the long-serving Power mentor set to remain at the club for 2024.
This season has seen Hinkley steer the South Australian side back into premiership contention after missing out on a finals spot last year - an outcome that spelt concern for the 56-year-old's future as he entered the final year of his contract.
A return to the top four loomed as a benchmark for Hinkley to extend his tenure, with the Power currently sitting in second on a 12-game winning run and likely to book themselves a second-chance finals placing.
The club's 13-2 start has seen Hinkley earn widespread support to continue as the coach of Port Adelaide for a 12th year next season, however both the club's board and their coach have flagged all year that decision won't be made until August.
That decision could now be made within the coming weeks, according to reporter Caroline Wilson, who has revealed Port Adelaide will be sticking by their coach for the future.
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"Ken Hinkley is definitely staying. That announcement could even come in a few weeks," Wilson told Footy Classified.
"It will certainly come by August which is what the club promised.
"Ken Hinkley is very comfortable at Port Adelaide and Port Adelaide are very comfortable (with Ken Hinkley)."
"It will certainly come by August."
Caroline Wilson reports Port Adelaide will announce next month Ken Hinkley will be retained as coach of the club.#9FootyClassified | @9Gem pic.twitter.com/AVhOpLujKP
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) July 3, 2023
Port Adelaide isn't the only club set to make a coaching call later this year, with Richmond to get the process for their coaching search up and running soon to find a successor to the departed Damien Hardwick.
Interim coach Andrew McQualter has managed three wins in his five games as the caretaker at Punt Road, with the former St Kilda and Gold Coast player seen as the favourite to land the full-time role.
McQualter revealed on Monday that he wasn't familiar with how the process will take place, but confirmed he is "keen to have a crack" at senior coaching.
"Not thoroughly, yet," McQualter toldย AFL 360ย when asked whether he knew when the process will start.
"I just rang Tim Livingstone over the break and said I'm loving the opportunity I've got and I'm keen to have a crack at it. From there, the club will run a thorough process.
"They are very smart bunch of people. Whenever that begins I'll just go with the flow and see what happens."
Other candidates linked to the Richmond vacancy include former Brisbane coach Justin Leppitsch, premiership Tiger Shaun Grigg and Melbourne assistant Troy Chaplin.
McQualter will be in charge of the Tigers for the remainder of the 2023 season, with the Victorian outfit in the race for a finals spot after a poor opening 10 rounds under Hardwick's watch.
Richmond are scheduled to face Sydney at the MCG on Thursday before matches against West Coast, Hawthorn, Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs, St Kilda, North Melbourne and Port Adelaide.
