Ken Hinkley supports Willie Rioli, backs Port Adelaide's stance on 'persistent' racism in AFL

Australia Broadcast Center

09-05-2025

Ken Hinkley has backed Port Adelaide's stance on "persistent, ongoing" racism in the AFL as he throws his arms around troubled forward Willie Rioli.
Rioli won't play in the Showdown against Adelaide on Saturday night, having announced his decision to sit out before the league suspended him for one match.
It followed Rioli's "unacceptable" threatening message to Western Bulldogs player Bailey Dale and an AFL probe into two verbal threats the 29-year-old Power star allegedly made to a Geelong and an Essendon player.
The ban prompted Port to denounce racism in the game, calling on the AFL industry to do more to understand what Indigenous and multicultural players and staff go through on a daily basis.
Power coach Hinkley refused to shed any further light on the subject when he fronted the media on Friday.
"I'm not going to go into specifics, but I will say that I'm fully supportive of the club's position," Hinkley told reporters.
"Unfortunately I've been in this job for a long period of time and continually do see and hear different things that get done and said.
"I'm not going to say exactly what that is.
"All I want to do is say I fully support our club's position. I couldn't support it any stronger."
Hinkley said the Power, which accepted Rioli's suspension, was eager to move on from the drama surrounding the forward's behaviour.
As well as serving a one-match suspension, Rioli is required to participate in "education on respectful/non-violent language and conduct".
"From my point of view, the most important thing is that Willie's OK and he's under control," Hinkley said.
"As has been said all week, we will support Willie and put our arms around Willie and look after him.
"He made a mistake. He knows that and he owns that, and the consequences are known to everyone.
Rioli could return for Port's match against Geelong on May 17, as he would have served the AFL's one-match ban.
But the Power are yet to put a timeline on the 98-game goal-sneak's comeback.
"They're not things that are worth chatting about today, other than at the moment we know Willie's doing OK," Hinkley said.
"That's all we care for at the moment."
Hinkley was asked whether he thought opposition players might try to get under Rioli's skin when he returns.
"I would doubt anyone would go there, with the stance that the AFL have now put in place around comments said on the field," he said.
"I just don't think you'd go there, but Willie will get our support as he always has.
"Willie also has to learn and he knows that. I think he's publicly said that himself that he's got to get better."
Rioli, who met with AFL officials on Wednesday, apologised privately to Dale on Monday and again publicly on Thursday.
Port wrote to the AFL last month after the heated fallout from Rioli's online post about Hawthorn, concerned about how racist incidents had been portrayed — specifically that players such as Rioli had provoked the abuse.
"By framing racist abuse as reactive rather than endemic, we are contributing to a narrative that undermines the AFL's stated commitment to eliminating racism from our game," the club said in a statement on Thursday.
Hinkley's own focus had largely been on preparing Port for the Showdown, as they aim to bounce back from a horror 90-point annihilation from the Bulldogs.
AAP