Ken Hinkley to be announced as inaugural Tasmania Devils coach

Ken Hinkley is set to be formally unveiled as the inaugural coach of the Tasmania Devils, concluding a year-long search for the AFL's newest club. Hinkley, 59, is understood to have agreed to a five-year contract, keeping him with the club until the end of the 2031 season.

The former Port Adelaide coach was in Hobart for a final presentation to the Devils' coaching selection panel, which included chair Grant O'Brien, CEO Brendon Gale, football director Alastair Lynch, and culture boss Lauren Jauncey. The decision was ratified by the board following the presentation.

This appointment is the most significant in the Devils' short history. Hinkley is charged with building the team into an on-field force and acting as the club's public face. The club sought a "people person" as coach, drawing inspiration from the success of the JackJumpers NBL club's championship-winning coach Scott Roth.

Hinkley's coaching record at Port Adelaide will face scrutiny. Across 12 seasons, he coached 282 home and away matches with a 59.6 percent win rate. However, his finals record saw a dip to 40 percent, with six wins from 15 appearances, and he has never coached a team to a grand final. Fellow candidates John Longmire and Nathan Buckley were informed they were unsuccessful.

One of Hinkley's challenges will be uniting Tasmania behind the Devils, a task complicated by debates over the construction of the new Macquarie Point Stadium. He will also need to galvanize the state's three regions behind a team some perceive as Hobart-centric.

“

The people we're speaking with have the ability, and the experience and a track record but this is a big job. You've got to really want this job and be prepared to embrace all the challenges and opportunities that come with it.