Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes has backed the possibility of a coaching succession plan at his former club.
AFL Media’s Damian Barrett reported on Wednesday that Fremantle assistant coach Josh Carr is being “headhunted” by the South Australian club to return in a senior assistant role under Ken Hinkley.
It was intimated in that report that Carr, a Power premiership player, would be “well placed to succeed Hinkley” who is contracted at Alberton until 2023.
Cornes played alongside Carr in Power colours in the 2000s and believes his capture would be a major coup given his experience as a SANFL premiership coach with North Adelaide coupled with his time spent as an asisstant with both Port and the Dockers.
“The story is they’ve identified him to perhaps take over from Ken Hinkley in 12 months’ time,” Cornes said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“My initial thought is I love it. I just love the apprenticeship that Josh Carr has done and that’s what I look for.
“Those at North Adelaide would rave about him. He started his career at Port Adelaide as an assistant coach then went and coached his own team, then went back to Fremantle and they identified him to go and work in their program.
“Of any of the football programs that have been successful, I’ve loved what Fremantle have done. Basically started with a rebuild, identified a lot of talent, particularly through the midfield and gave that talent some immediate experience.
“They pushed out (David) Mundy and they pushed out (Nat) Fyfe to give (Caleb) Serong and (Andrew) Brayshaw midfield minutes. This is three seasons ago and now you’re getting the payoff and the benefits of that now.
“I love the defensive mechanisms that Justin Longmuir has implemented into his side and the fact that Josh Carr’s midfield just runs two ways and they’re the best defensive midfield in the game.”
Cornes believes Carr would be quickly embraced by the Power faithful and also suggests that Hinkley would be open to the idea of a succession plan, even if that is not publicly stated.
“He’s a Port Adelaide person who we know and love and played football the Port Adelaide way. I think he will be immediately embraced,” he added.
“I like the fact he could work under Ken Hinkley for 12 months if that is the path. If Josh Carr does choose to come to Port Adelaide, I don’t think Port Adelaide will publicly say this is a succession plan for Ken Hinkley.
“But it may be in the back of their mind and if Ken has his head around that, because it would be tough to do, but he’s always been pretty good at putting the footy club in front of himself.
“I think it gives the footy club a lot of stability and a lot of direction.
“I love it. I couldn’t think of a better person to be identified.
“My initial response was I didn’t see it coming but how good would it be.”
As a player, Carr enjoyed two stints with Port for a total of 124 games, winning the 2004 premiership, while playing 83 times for the Dockers.
He is currently occupied with his Freo duties, highlighted by a do-or-die Semi Final against Collingwood at the MCG this Saturday night.