Tigers happy to let coaching candidate to negotiate start date Joel Cresswell
August 20th, 2009
RICHMOND will allow Cats assistant Ken Hinkley to coach out the finals if it offers him its senior coaching job.
Geelong chief executive Brian Cook confirmed yesterday the club would break with recent industry trend and attempt to hold onto Hinkley until season's end.
Collingwood released assistant Brad Scott from his contract on Monday when North Melbourne appointed him coach and Port Adelaide allowed Dean Bailey to leave for Melbourne during its 2007 grand final run.
But Mark Thompson rates Hinkley's input too valuable. "He's a very big part of what we do here, if he was to leave it would leave a massive hole ... we want our team working as a group for as long as we last," Thompson said.
A Richmond spokesperson confirmed yesterday the club would be understanding of applicants involved in a finals campaign and allow the incoming coach to negotiate their own start date.
Bell Park official Peter Burke, who worked closely with Hinkley in his stint at the Dragons, expects Hinkley will want to finish the season with the Cats.
"He's an incredibly ethical, moral bloke. He would finish this (Cats) job off with the greatest of passion, greatest of energy you could possibly ask anyone to do.
"I would be very surprised if he doesn't (see out the season) and if (the Cats) don't offer him that.
"Knowing their respect for Ken and how he operates, they will want to exploit every little bit of his capability right to the line."
Burke has worked in football operations with the Geelong Falcons and Bell Park and was part of Hinkley's match committee in the Dragons' 2003 premiership season.
Burke said Hinkley's coaching fingerprints were on Geelong's hard running, high scoring game plan.
"If you know Ken Hinkley and the way he has his sides play and the way he played himself, then look at Geelong's flair, their run, their attack from deep in defence - that (style) has Ken Hinkley written all over it.
"From the time Bomber allowed his support staff to have a greater input from the end of 2006 ... you can see Geelong footy club has changed the way it plays and I just think that says Ken Hinkley all over."
Hinkley firmed as the bookies favourite for the Richmond job yesterday afternoon. The club is expected to announce its new coach early next week from one of four candidates including Hinkley, Damien Hardwick, Allan Richardson and Jade Rawlings.
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