'I was pretty unforgiving': Ken Hinkley admits AFL made him feel 'shamed' in Jack Ginnivan saga
Ken Hinkley has taken aim at the AFL for making him feel "shamed" and "misused" after his infamous stoush with Jack Ginnivan towards the end of his time at Port Adelaide.
The former coach was fined $20,000 for a gesture made towards Ginnivan and other Hawthorn players after a semi-final victory in 2024.
Hinkley made an aeroplane gesture and began shouting at Ginnivan, stemming from the star's social media antics prior to the game where he intimated the Hawks would beat the Power and advance to that year's preliminary final against Sydney.
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Ken Hinkley sprays Hawks players after the 2024 semi final. AFL Photos via Getty Images
The stoush between Hinkley and Ginnivan was then used by the AFL to promote last year's Gather Round clash between the two clubs, exploiting the personal issue.
The 59-year-old finished his coaching tenure with Port at the end of last season and in an interview on SEN's Whately, he opened up on the ordeal at length.
"The AFL decided to impose a fine on me and shame me, and I was pretty unforgiving of that to be honest ... I just didn't think there was an enormous amount of care in their way of treating me through that journey," Hinkley said.
"I did (feel exploited), there's no doubt I did, and I can say that now because I'm out of the game and I can be a little bit more honest.
"I made the mistake, I'd done the crime, which was OK. I owned that, I talked about it quite openly straight afterwards and and was embarrassed by my own behaviour.
Jack Ginnivan is never far away from controversy. via Getty Images
"For the AFL to do what they did in fining me - but then promote it on their website leading into Gather Round with me, Hawthorn and Ginni, who lucky enough took it in the right way too, it felt a little bit misused for me if you're making a moral stand on what I should and shouldn't have been allowed to do. That's just the way I felt.
"I was (hurt by it), absolutely I was. I didn't deserve too much, but I deserved some form of care, I thought, and that didn't come, so that was just what happened."
The rematch between Hawthorn and Port last year had plenty of eyes on it and didn't disappoint, with Ginnivan celebrating a goal with an aeroplane celebration.
Hinkley finished his 12-year tenure with the Power having won 174 of 297 matches.
