Port chairman David Koch whacks 'lies', defends Ken Hinkley extension despite finals flop
Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has found himself in a war of words following the side's humiliating straight-sets finals exit.
The Power were dumped out of the finals by the GWS Giants last weekend, with the result heaping pressure on the club's decision to reward senior coach Ken Hinkley with a two-year contract extension last month.
Koch hit back at claims from Adelaide radio personality Stephen Rowe that he was the only man within the club who was a supporter of Hinkley's extension.
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"This is the annoying thing for me, and I'm going to call it out, the lies that are being spread around this," the Port chairman told FIVEaa.
Port Adelaide chairman David Koch still remains a firm supporter of Port coach Ken Hinkley Michael Willson via Getty Images
"You can't help but be frustrated with some of the misinformation that's been put around by a person who called the club 'a bunch of flogs' and hoped they would go out in straight sets in the finals and (said he) would 'drink the tears of Port Adelaide flogs'."
Rowe, whose son James played 36 games for the Adelaide Crows, did not take kindly to Koch's assessment.
"Port have no respect, none whatsoever. But don't ever call this show a lie," he said on his FIVEaa show Rowey and Timmy G.
The loss against the Giants meant that of Hinkley's five career finals wins, just two have come since 2015.
Despite another finals flop under Hinkley, Koch is adamant the club's decision to retain him is not a mistake.
He compared Port's current post-season struggles to those which preceded the club's 2004 premiership under Mark Williams.
"No it wasn't (a mistake to re-sign Hinkley). You think we should sack a coach who has the second-best win-loss record over four years?" he said.
"They (the fans) would've been shaking their head at the end of 2003 as well, exactly the same when we went out in straight sets in '01, '02 and '03 and the club stuck together and really focused in '04."
