Overview
- The Devils formally unveiled Hinkley on Monday after a 12‑month search and reported he has signed a five‑year deal through the end of 2031 with the full coaching term to begin across the run into 2028.
- Tasmania’s selection panel chose Hinkley over John Longmire and Nathan Buckley because of his strength in building relationships with young players and creating club culture, the board said.
- The coach will immediately help assemble the football department and recruit players using the AFL’s expansion concessions, which include multiple early 2027 draft picks and the right to sign up to 18 uncontracted players with a maximum of one per club.
- Hinkley faces practical challenges such as uniting regional fan bases, working around delayed Macquarie Point stadium and Kingston high‑performance centre projects, and building a program from a small existing staff.
- The appointment shifts the coaching market: Buckley says he is likely to remain at Geelong in the short term, and Hinkley’s move sets the leadership framework for Tasmania as it prepares to join the AFL.