Tasmania have announced Ken Hinkley’s appointment as the AFL expansion club’s first senior coach.

The Devils’ decision to choose the 59-year-old former Port Adelaide coach over John Longmire and Nathan Buckley was revealed by 7NEWS reporter Tom Morris on Sunday.

The club said Hinkley’s “reputation as a genuine father figure” to players at Port Adelaide was crucial.

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“We didn’t set out to find the candidate with the single best win-loss record in this process, we set out to find the right coach for exactly what Tasmania needs right now,” club chair Grant O’Brien said in a statement on Monday.

“Ken’s ability to build relationships with young players, and to build an environment that people want to be part of is exceptional, it is the number one reason we believe he is the right fit for this club.

“We are building a list, a program and a club from the ground up, largely with young and developing talent.

“That demands a head coach who is, first and foremost, a brilliant teacher and a builder of people, and that is exactly what Ken is.”

Hinkley has signed a five-year deal, taking into account next year and the Devils’ first four years in the AFL.

He will get to work immediately alongside the club’s relatively barebones football department, with their first pre-season still 15 months away.

“It’s a huge privilege to be given the opportunity to build something from the very beginning,” Hinkley said.

“The responsibility to lead Tasmania’s entry into the AFL is something very special, it excites me.

“There will be many ups and downs, and challenges that lie ahead, including the build of our football department, but I have unique and directly relevant experience to take these on alongside the broader football club.

“Tasmania is a proud football state, and I can’t wait to get to know the players, staff, partners and community who have, and will continue to be part of this from day one.”

Hinkley coached Port from 2013 to 2025, instantly taking the Power to the finals after a barren five seasons following the club’s humiliating and record-breaking grand final loss in 2007.

Although Hinkley never got to a grand final from three preliminary final appearances, Port were almost always in contention during his time.

He walked away with an excellent winning record of 58.6 per cent, having guided Port to 174 victories from his 297 games in charge.

The Power’s off-field situation also improved dramatically as crowds returned to games because they were competitive.

Hinkley was named coach of the year twice (2013 and 2020) but stepped aside at the end of last year to allow highly rated assistant Josh Carr to take over.

Playing 132 games for Fitzroy and Geelong between 1987 and 1995, Hinkley spent time as an assistant at Geelong and Gold Coast, as well as a year at St Kilda in 2001, before winning the Port role as a 46-year-old.

After leaving Port at the end of the 2025 season, Hinkley has spent this year in the media.

— with AAP