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Full Noise by SN
The Live Sport Bible is here!Hinkley shuts down Wilson's reports over Devils coaching role
Jaiden Sciberras • May 11th, 2026 9:59 pm
7AFL’s Caroline Wilson has reported that a new favourite has emerged for the Tasmania Devils head coaching role… but the favourite says he knows nothing of it.
On Monday night, Wilson reported to The Agenda Setters that former Port Adelaide head coach Ken Hinkley is now leading the race for the job at the Devils, with their inaugural season rapidly approaching.
“If I had to call it tonight, I would say that Ken Hinkley would be the inaugural coach of the Tasmanian Devils,” Wilson claimed.
“He is not over the line, but he has been having repeated conversations with Tasmania bosses.
“He met with Brendon Gale and other bosses in Melbourne last week, he is by no means over the line, but he has emerged, in my view, as favourite, as the board has ratified the list build philosophy.”
Hinkley was quick to shut down the reports, which were made while Hinkley was on air with SEN Sportsday.
“I didn’t meet with Tassie last week. I didn’t meet with them two weeks ago,” he said.
“I’ve had chats with Brendon, but let’s explain why I’ve had chats. I’m one of the few coaches who has actually spent three years at a start-up club and seen the ups and downs and what can happen if a start-up club get it wrong.
“The second part about that is they are leaning into what experience I can help them with. I think that’s worthwhile.
“I’ve spoken to them because I am excited about the new teams coming into the comp, I don’t have any problem with that, but I’m not committed to doing any coaching jobs anyway at the moment.
“At some point in the future, I have to make those decisions, but right now… I haven’t come up with a decision on whether I do or I don’t want to coach again.
“This is the answer I give to everyone: I don’t know anything else other than being a footy coach.
“I’m now six months into doing a different role which I am really enjoying and love the connection I’m building with everyone here plus with everyone at Fox.
“If you ask me, ‘do you think you’re a coach’, yeah, I think I’m still a coach in some way, but at some point, we all move on to another life and another opportunity.
“My conversations with Tassie have been around different roles altogether than the coaching role.
“They approached me right from the very start about what I could offer to them in a start-up club situation, and what role would best suit me.
“I can tell you exactly what I said the very first time I spoke to them: ‘I don’t know if I can do these other roles. I’ve been a coach for 13 years, that’s what I know I can do.
“‘I don’t know about the other stuff, and I’m not in one way saying that I’m going to be a coach again or I am not going to be a coach again. What I’m saying is right now, I will give you every bit of advice or help that you think I can offer to help that football club when they start up.’
“What is it, two years away until the starting date? 2028 – they’ve got a long way to go and lots of things to solve.
“I am reading and hearing whatever everyone else is reading. Initially they’ve talked about having a football manager in place first and then the coach. Now it sounds like it’s swinging back the other way.
“Nathan Buckley has been pretty clearly the favourite for this job. We don’t need a new favourite Caro; we just need to let Tassie do what they do.
“A big headline about who’s going to be favourite and who’s not going to be favourite. I think it’s a long bow to draw from having a meeting with them around discussions over lots of things in their footy club.”
