Clearly Inevitable: Rising Tensions as Power and Hawks Prepare to Clash Again

All attention is set on the prime fixture of Gather Round this Sunday evening, as Port Adelaide takes on Hawthorn for the first time since their heated semi-final clash last year.

Following the final siren, Power coach Ken Hinkley and Hawthorn captain James Sicily were involved in a tense exchange of words, leading to Hinkley receiving a $20,000 fine from the AFL for the incident.

Prior to the match, News Corp reported that during the altercation, Sicily remarked to Hinkley, “You have been a f—ing nowhere club for eight years.”

In a media conference on Wednesday, Hinkley downplayed the rivalry, mentioning he hasn’t communicated with anyone from the Hawks.

“There was no need for me to reach out to them, and I’m quite certain they wouldn’t have wanted to contact me either,” he stated.

“What I said at the end of last year’s match was driven by emotion. I regret that behaviour, and I have acknowledged it publicly.”

“It’s now time to move forward for me and focus on the task at hand this week.”

“This is evolving into a healthy rivalry, which is beneficial for the game.”

“It seems to be garnering significant attention and adding some excitement to Gather Round, which is fantastic.”

Commentator Gerard Whateley has suggested that the AFL should consider reimbursing Hinkley’s $20,000 fine, given that the controversy has served to generate excitement for Gather Round.

Nevertheless, the Power coach has left the matter in the hands of AFL CEO Andrew Dillon.

“It’s not something I need to delve into,” he explained.

“I accepted my penalty, and those are questions for others. Perhaps that’s something Andrew (Dillon) can address, not me.”

Interestingly, Whateley himself posed that very question to Dillon on Wednesday afternoon.

“We can only handle issues as they come up and respond at the moment. This isn’t something we want to encourage, and if (the fine) ends up being overridden, it should ultimately serve as a deterrent, which is our goal,” Dillon told SEN.

“I would prefer to avoid fining anyone, but as the competition regulator, there are times when individuals step out of line, and sanctions must be enforced.”

Dillon remarked that he believes the tension between the two clubs shouldn’t overshadow the anticipation of Sunday’s clash.

However, Hawthorn forward Jack Ginnivan holds a different view, hinting at a potential special celebration if the occasion arises.

“It’s pretty clear why the AFL scheduled this as the final game of Gather Round, and they’re likely going to utilise it to promote the game to its fullest,” he commented to Nine’s Footy Classified.

“You’ll have to wait and see if I find the goals, but I’m certainly planning something up my sleeve.”