Kane Cornes believes Port Adelaide’s next month will be telling for the club and Ken Hinkley’s future.
It all begins when they take on Richmond on Thursday night, before games with fellow top eight fancies Sydney, Gold Coast and Fremantle.
Cornes is not confident his old side will get the job done however, saying the Power’s list has too many key holes in it.
“He’s coaching for his career at Port Adelaide, there isn’t any doubt about that,” the Port Adelaide great told SEN’s Whateley.
“I don’t have a lot of confidence. I just think there are too many areas of their game that need addressing. They’re thin through the midfield, there’s a lack of depth through there and they’re a key position back short and they don’t have a ruckman.
“They go up against Toby Nankervis and Ivan Soldo tonight, Tom Hickey against Sydney, then its Jarrod Witts, then Sean Darcy.
“If you don’t have a ruckman with how important centre bounce clearances are and centre bounce goals and scores, I think you’re in a bit of trouble.
“I’ve admired Ken Hinkley’s attitude to not give up on the season and to fight his way through it, I just don’t think they’re good enough and I think the next month will probably tell us that.”
Cornes is backing Richmond to get the chocolates on Thursday night given the Power are going in without a ruckman.
“They may pull something out of the box, but you’re going to go to the footy as a Port Adelaide fan and Charlie Dixon and Sam Powell-Pepper are going to be doing the rucking,” he said.
“How does that happen? How does a list management error of that significance happen?”
The Power omitted ruckman Sam Hayes on Wednesday night. The 22-year-old has played seven games this season averaging 29 hit-outs per game.
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