Port Adelaide have warned Gold Coast to stop trying to poach their AFL coach Ken Hinkley.

The Suns have approached Hinkley’s manager about him possibly leaving the Power, where he’s contracted until the end of next year.

“Port Adelaide is aware Gold Coast Suns chief executive Mark Evans placed a speculative phone call to Ken Hinkley’s manager Peter Blucher regarding Hinkley’s coaching future,” Port said in a statement on Friday.

“Port Adelaide has advised the Gold Coast Suns that Hinkley has advised the Gold Coast Suns that Hinkley is under contract until the end of 2018 and is not on the market.”

Gold Coast are also understood to be courting assistant coaches Stuart Dew and John Barker about becoming their next head coach, after last month’s sacking of Rodney Eade.

Hinkley is a former assistant at the Suns, where he remains highly regarded.

Evans approached Hinkley’s manager after Port exited the AFL finals last weekend when beaten by West Coast with a goal after the extra-time siren.

On Monday, Port president David Koch said the Power would soon open talks with Hinkley about extending his five-year tenure with the Power.

“I don’t know why there is this talk about Ken going to the Gold Coast because he has got another year … to go on his contract,” Koch said.

“Over the summer we will talk to him about extending that.

“That is the timetable Ken Hinkley wanted and, we have such respect for Ken Hinkley, that is exactly what we’re going to do.”