Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley admits he made a mistake in allowing Connor Rozee to play on Thursday night.
The Port Adelaide captain finished last weekend’s win over St Kilda early due to a slight hamstring injury, but managed to get up to start the Showdown against Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.
However, the decision to play the 24-year-old blew up in the club’s face as Rozee came off during the third quarter before being subbed out at three-quarter time in his side’s 30-point loss to the Crows.
Rozee picked up 15 disposals and five clearances in his 51 per cent game time.
Hinkley said it was his call to play Rozee and he’ll shoulder the blame for the mistake.
GRADING EVERY PLAYER IN THE SHOWDOWN AS ADELAIDE STUNS THE POWER
“I made a mistake playing Connor Rozee tonight. That was clear, it was obvious,” Hinkley told reporters after the game.
“All the testing that we'd done, all the medical support we could get, all the information I could get was Connor was able to play.
“I’d seen it with my own eyes (that) he was able to run as fast as he needed to, kick as long as he needed to, but once fatigue set in tonight, it was clear (he wasn’t right).
“I can try and hide behind it, but I'm not. I'm not a coward when it comes to owning a mistake, and that was what it was, a mistake.
“(It was) my call. I let Connor down by letting him play.”
Hinkley insists there was no further damage done by playing Rozee, but indicated that if he had the week off he “would be better next week”.
The Power coach also conceded: “I set Connor up to fail as a player by the way he had to perform out there”.
Port slumped to a third straight Showdown defeat overall and a second loss in three games in season 2024 which leaves them with a 5-3 record.
