Sick coach Ken Hinkley allowed to phone coach's box during Port Adelaide game Port Adelaide assistant coach Alan Richardson says he is excited to be taking control at Port Adelaide with Ken Hinkley ill. Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley will be allowed to be in contact with his assistant coaches, despite not being well enough to travel to his team's game against North Melbourne. THE AFL has decided to make a special allowance for virus-stricken Port coach Ken Hinkley to speak to the coachs box during tomorrow's match after a discussion with Port Adelaide this morning. The rules state that Hinkley cannot be part of the coaching panel when he is not a matchday official, but because of the unusual nature of his fate, an AFL spokesman told The Advertiser they had granted permission for him to be in contact during his team's game against North Melbourne. Stand-in coach Alan Richardson said this morning that it would be unlikely that there would be either long or multiple phone calls between him and the coach, but that if the boss called, he would take it. Football operations manager Peter Rohde, who plays an important role in the box, said he would keep his mobile on and indicated he would be the most likely contact link. But even with the permission Port received this morning, Hinkley will not be allowed to talk to players on the field or on the bench. Richardson has headed to Tasmania with mixed feelings ahead of tomorrow's match against North Melbourne at Blundstone Arena. Richardson, the Power's director of coaching, will be the acting senior coach because Ken Hinkley was struck down with a virus this week and has been advised against flying. It has left Richardson excited about the responsibility - the last time he was a senior coach was for Coburg in the VFL - but also hurting for his boss. I can't imagine how hard or frustrating it'll be for Ken, just sitting back. He's just started coaching his own football team and to be sitting on his couch," Richardson said. Richardson found out he would be in the chair after doctors had allowed Hinkley to begin sending text messages but ruled out any traveling. Part of his texts to Richardson read: "It's over to you Richo. Five in a row, let's make it six. The rest of it was not fit for print, but essentially told Richardson not to muck up. Richardson said he had spent little time thinking about what the opportunity meant for him. "We're heading somewhere as a football club," Richardson said. I feel good. The feelings you have are all about what we've done, what we're trying to achieve for the team. In terms of my personal feelings, it's pretty similar, really. We've been playing some pretty good footy and now we've got an enormous challenge against a team that is really desperate for a win.