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Port Adelaide fans spring into action in bid to help AFL club pay Ken Hinkley's $20,000 fine

Power fans have rallied together in an attempt to foot the $20,000 fine given to Hinkley for his Jack Ginnivan sledge.

ben talintyre
Sports Reporter
·4-min read

Port Adelaide fans have banded together to help pay the $20,000 fine the AFL handed down to Power coach Ken Hinkley for taunting Hawks star Jack Ginnivan following Port Adelaide's finals triumph on Friday night. After the AFL announced the sanction on Sunday, one Power fan promptly set up a GoFundMe page to crowdfund the fine given to the veteran coach. A GoFundMe spokeswoman told Yahoo Sport Australia that a singular Port Adelaide fan had set up the fundraiser but "the funds would not go to the fan organising the GoFundMe, but directly to the club".

The loyal fan who set up the account under the pseudonym 'KenHinkleyFanBoy', is trying to rally support for the 57-year-old coach who he says shouldn't be made to pay for the "unjustified fine". "Ken Hinkley is a man who loves his job," the GoFundMe page reads.

Ken Hinkley pictured left and right Port Adelaide fans
Port Adelaide fans have banded together to pay the $20,000 fine handed to Port Adelaide over Ken Hinkley's ugly post-match scenes with Hawthorn players on Friday night. Image: Getty

"Think of him when donating after he received an unjustified $20,000 fine. Do it for Ken. All money will be sent directly to the Port Adelaide bank account."

Hinkley's decision to taunt Ginnivan after the Power's tense three-point finals win over the Hawks saw the veteran coach cop widespread backlash. The Power coach made an aeroplane gesture towards the box office small forward and yelled out “You’re not flying, Jack”, in reference to Ginnivan's social media post that caused uproar in the lead-up to the game.

His remark was in response to a cocky reply Ginnivan made to a post from Swans star Brodie Grundy that said: "See u in 14 days", suggesting the Hawks would dispose of the Power and play Sydney in the preliminary final. Following Hinkley's sledge for Ginnivan on Friday night, Hawthorn captain James Sicily stood up for his teammate and returned serve as angry words were exchanged between the Hawks skipper and the rival coach. Following the game Hinkley apologised for his actions but it didn't stop him from being sanctioned by the league.

ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 13: Ken Hinkley, Senior Coach of the Power exchanges words with Hawthorn players after the 2024 AFL Second Semi Final match between the Port Adelaide Power and the Hawthorn Hawks at Adelaide Oval on September 13, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Ken Hinkley apologised for making an aeroplane gesture and yelling out “You’re not flying, Jack”, in reference to Jack Ginnivan's social media post that caused uproar in the lead-up to the game. Image: Getty

AFL hand Ken Hinkley $20,000 fine for post-match antics

The ugly saga overshadowed what was a thrilling finals triumph for Port, and as a result, the AFL opted to fine Hinkley $20,000. The league said in a statement on Sunday that Hinkley's conduct was "unbecoming" and a clear message needed to be sent that behaviour of that kind isn't tolerated.

"We understand it is a passionate game with a lot at stake for all clubs, however, Ken made a decision to engage with opposition players post-match — a decision he has since admitted was the wrong one," AFL general counsel Stephen Meade said.

"Ken has acknowledged that his emotions got the better of him in the moment, however as a senior coach his actions fell well below what is expected by the AFL.

"As we reiterated last week, opposition officials and players inappropriately engaging each other is something we don’t want to see because of the potential to escalate and the example that it sets for football at lower levels and we are disappointed the moment took away from what was one of the great finals matches."

While the GoFundMe page shows the love the Port Adelaide faithful have for their coach, the AFL wouldn't allow crowdfunded funds to pay the fine. And on Tuesday the page was taken down after raising more than $6,000.

GoFundMe says the donations will be returned in full to the donors. "When a GoFundMe page is launched on behalf of somebody else, funds are held securely until our Trust and Safety specialists can verify the beneficiary, add them to the fundraiser, and set them up to receive the donations directly," a GoFundMe spokeswoman told Yahoo Sport Australia.

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"In this case, the funds will not go to the fan organising the GoFundMe, but directly to the club. Should the club not want to accept the donations, they will be refunded to donors. GoFundMe has a Giving Guarantee that means funds will always reach the right place, or be refunded."