Port Adelaide is strongly considering unveiling a succession plan before its first match of the 2025 AFL season. Assistant coach Josh Carr is anticipated to eventually take over from long-time head coach Ken Hinkley.
Hinkley's position as head coach has come under fire since his polarising two-year re-signing after the 2023 season, with the 58-year-old entering his 13th season as coach.
The Power coach's position has come under scrutiny despite an illustrious home and away record, with Port Adelaide unable to make it past the penultimate week of September since Hinkley's arrival at the club.
Assistant Josh Carr has been patiently biding his time in the shadows, beginning his assistant coaching career at Port Adelaide in 2011, before senior coaching SANFL side North Adelaide between 2016 and 2019. Carr then jetted west to become an assistant coach at Fremantle until 2022, before returning to Alberton in 2023.
Carr has been poised to fill Hinkley's position ever since, however, back-to-back top-four finishes have seen Hinkley maintain his role.
It is understood that it could be a "matter of days" until Car is announced as Power coach.
"Reports out of Adelaide tonight are gaining momentum, and it is now only a matter of days until Josh Carr is announced as Port Adelaide's next coach," 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary said.
"Ken Hinkley, the current coach, does have a contract for 2025 and is expected to coach this year, in what is likely to be his last season at the helm.
"When he does depart, he will be immediately linked to the senior coaching role at Tasmania."
It was speculated that a second straight-sets exit would see Hinkley's tenure end, a year short of his contract, but an emotionally-driven three-point semi-final win over Hawthorn saw the longest-serving Power coach retain his position as coach for another season.
In a similar situation to Sydney's new head coach Dean Cox, Carr has been long viewed as the Hinkley successor, with the Power now anticipated to unveil an official succession plan,ย per Matt Turner ofย The Adelaide Advertiser.
Unlike Cox, who had an immediate takeover following John Longmire stepping down, Port Adelaide is reportedly strongly considering Carr to begin a succession plan with Hinkley before the Power's Round 1 clash with Collingwood.
According to the publication, it is unknown when the official handover to Carr will be, although a succession plan has been agreed upon since Hinkley's 2023 contract extension.
Coaching succession plans have had polarising results in recent years, with some cases spelling disaster, while others flourish.
Paul Roos set up two handovers for success with Sydney in 2010, who Longmire took over to lead to the 2012 premiership and four grand final defeats, while Goodwin overtook the Demons in 2017 and led the club to the 2021 premiership.
Nathan Buckley's succession from Mick Malthouse ultimately was disastrous, with a clash of egos resulting in a messy handover that impacted the club's performance after 2012. Similarly, Sam Mitchell was announced to begin a succession plan with Alastair Clarkson in 2022, with Clarkson to hand over the reins for the 2023 season.
The plan never eventuated, with Clarkson stepping down after the 2021 season and Mitchell beginning his time as head coach a year early.
The Power's Round 1 clash takes place at the MCG on Saturday, March 15.
