Burton admits “confusing” coaching transition, reveals Victorian interest

Jaiden Sciberras • October 2nd, 2025 12:37 pm

Delisted Port Adelaide defender Ryan Burton has lifted the lid on the confusion within the walls of the club following his surprising departure.

The 28-year-old could only manage eight games in 2025 due to injury, however played out 97 games as a prime contributor within his six years prior.

Averaging 18 disposals as a back flanker across his AFL career, Burton was far from pleased with the club’s decision to move him on, however remains steadfast that another opportunity at the level will arise.

“I was really disappointed when I got the news a couple of months ago that I wasn’t getting a contract,” Burton told AFL Trade Radio.

“Straight away, my manager (Kapital Sports) said he’s confident that he should be able to find me somewhere.

“I’m only 28, I feel like I’m in my prime and I’ve got three or four years at least.”

Despite giving some top years with the club, Burton revealed that his exit meeting and final months at Port Adelaide were rather blunt.

“It wasn’t a shock as much because my manager had been telling me that there probably wasn’t a contract coming,” he said.

“I knew probably a month out, so I just soaked up my last month at the club and tried to have as much fun, stay around the boys as much as I could and try to be there with Trav (Boak)’s last game and things like that.

“Exit meeting was about two minutes, straight in, straight out. I already knew, so that was probably a little bit easier.

“They said thank you for the seven years and said I played some really good footy for the club, really appreciated what I’d done.

“They pretty much just said they’re going to go down the route of playing younger guys, and I probably wasn’t going to be playing every week. It would probably be better if I was delisted and allowed me to get to another team.

“Once we got through all that, there was no point sitting in there any longer.”

Plenty was said about Port Adelaide’s coaching transition between the long-serving Ken Hinkley and his assistant turned senior coach Josh Carr, with the Power enduring their worst season since 2012 over the transition process.

Having dealt with the transition, Burton disclosed that understanding the process, who was in charge and who to speak to regarding his current and future career was rather confusing.

“When I got dropped towards the end of the year, I went to ‘Carry’ (Josh Carr) instead of Ken (Hinkley), because I was worried about my future and the next year," he revealed.

“Ken has been great for me for seven years, but when that happened, I went straight to Carry and asked exactly why and what he wanted from me, (and) what he wanted to see out of the last six or seven weeks.

“That was the confusing part, which coach to go to. Carry was honest with me, told me what he wanted to see, and I happened to get injured a few days later, and that was my season done.”

Surprisingly, while Carr played a role in the decision to delist the back flanker, list manager Chris Davies was the one to deliver the news despite leaving for Carlton just weeks following.

“Chris Davies told me; he was the one speaking,” Burton said.

“I’m not sure how many days or weeks after he moved (to Carlton), but he does all of that stuff.

“Josh is the one that told me that he was going to choose younger guys over me.”

With the understanding that he has plenty to offer at the level, Burton has been reaching out to his former coaches working around the competition, confirming that his manager is in talks with one Victorian club.

“To be honest, I was picking up the phone a while ago when I found out I wasn’t getting a contract, speaking to all of the assistant coaches I’ve had over my time and seeing if they think I’ll fit in at their club and what clubs they think I fit in as well.

“I got some really good feedback and some good conversation started. I haven’t reached out to Michael Voss, but I know my manager is speaking with (Carlton).

“I try to be as proactive as possible, to take my career into my own hands.

“I feel like I’m confident in my game and can still compete at the highest level. I am confident, but who knows.

“People still may overlook me with a few injury concerns, but I feel like I’m in a really good spot, fit and healthy at the moment.

“I’m ready to go anywhere.”