AFL great Kane Cornes exposes Clayton Oliver myth: ‘He wasn't tagging'
The notion that out-of-sorts Melbourne midfielder Clayton Oliver has been reinvented as a tagger or run-with player is a complete 'myth', says Kane Cornes.
After missing a game for wellbeing reasons, Oliver has returned to the team in the past fortnight and had roles on Hawthorn's Jai Newcombe and Brisbane's Lachie Neale in the past fortnight.
(down on his season average of 24.9), while Neale touched it 30 times as the Demons pulled off one of the upsets of the season.
Oliver was also solid in the Gabba boilover, helping himself to 23 possessions and a goal.
The Agenda Setters host Craig Hutchison said on Monday there was a long way to go as the club reprogrammed the four time best-and-fairest winner, but it appeared to be working.
'Sometimes in life you have go backwards to go forwards,' Hutchison said.
'The reprogramming of him is on. I know he wasn't the best player on the ground on the weekend, and it was a good contest, but it has improved him.'
Hutchison then turned to Cornes who, along with many others, has been a little critical of the move.
'I think you've gone too hard too early on this. This might be the thing that gets him back to where (he used to be),' Hutchison said to the Port Adelaide great.
But Cornes was having none of it.
'There used to be a show called Myth Busters. It might still be a thing. There might be some reruns on this week,' Cornes said.
'But it is a myth that Clayton Oliver is tagging. It is merely a reference point.'
Cornes then ran some vision of Oliver and Neale.
'So look at the room that Clayton Oliver gave Lachie Neale New York. So anyone who says that Clayton Oliver was tagging ... don't listen to them.'
As AFL great Nick Riewoldt was about to join the conversation, a fired up Cornes quickly stopped him.
'Nick, don't challenge me on this,' Cornes said.
Riewoldt responded: 'I'm not ... I was about to agree with you, Kane, if you took a breath.'
Cornes continued: 'Let me describe what is going on. Do not let anyone tell you that Clayton Oliver is tagging Lachie Neale.'
Riewoldt did say, however, he had spoken to coach Simon Goodwin ahead of the game and Goodwin said the Neale positioning was 'a starting point' for Oliver or a 'reference point'.
'I heard it,' said Cornes. 'But then I get after the game (from some people), 'Oh gee, (how good was Clayton Oliver)' .... and I read in the Herald Sun ... 'How good was Clayton Oliver tagging Lachie Neale'.
'He wasn't tagging and equally Lachie Neale showed him zero respect the other way, so it worked both ways.'
Riewoldt said: 'It was a starting point and then a shootout.'
Cornes: 'Maybe it was a strategy to allow Clayton Oliver some leg rope. But there was no tag. I had to mythbust that.'
After the Cornes outburst, The Agenda Setters panel was in stitches.
Veteran AFL journalist said to Cornes, 'You are exhausting.'
And Hutchison said, Cornes was arguing with himself.
'Just when I thought there was no one left in football for you to argue with, you're now arguing with yourself,' Hutchison said.
'It's official, you've found you're last target ... yourself ... it's incredible .... it's Kane versus Kane.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
7NEWS
an hour ago
- 7NEWS
Daly Cherry-Evans axe explained as ‘scapegoat' claim denied by Maroons coach Billy Slater
Queensland coach Billy Slater insists captain Daly Cherry-Evans was not a scapegoat for the side's recent failings after he was axed as half and replaced by Tom Dearden. Not since Trevor Gillmeister was dropped in 1996 as captain and replaced by Allan Langer have Queensland taken such a drastic step in the middle of a State of Origin series. Slater said he had elevated 24-year-old Dearden to No.7 for game two in Perth because it was 'the right decision' for the team after three consecutive losses. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today After 26 games for the Maroons, and the last 19 as skipper, the curtain has come down on 36-year-old Cherry-Evans' stellar Origin career. So was he a scapegoat? 'It's not the case,' Slater said. 'It's just a case of the best person for the position. I am sure people will have their opinion. When you are in this position ... you have to think what the best thing is for the footy team ... and we just feel Tom is the right person for the No.7 jersey right now.' A glance at this year's attacking benchmarks in club football could explain why Slater believes 24-year-old North Queensland co-captain Dearden is ready to replace Manly captain Cherry-Evans. In 12 NRL games Dearden has 11 try assists, 16 line break assists, four tries and averages 106m per game. Cherry-Evans, also in 12 matches, has nine try assists, five line break assists, three tries and averages 66m. Dearden is more of a direct running half. Slater said the Maroons 'want to play to our players' strengths'. While changing the half won't fix everything, there is a sense Dearden's style will unlock the outside backs. 'We just want Tom Dearden to do his job and be the best version of Tom Dearden he can be. He will get a bit of support around him,' Slater said. The coach said it was 'tough' to tell Cherry-Evans of his demise. 'But when you take this position and you serve the state and footy team, sometimes you have to make the hard calls. That's what we feel is the correct one,' Slater added. 'You won't hear a negative word from me about Daly Cherry-Evans. What he has given this jersey and done for this footy team and this group, that will be with all Queenslanders and Daly for the rest of his life. 'Obviously Daly wanted to play and he was disappointed. 'We have shared some great memories. He has held the trophy up for three of the past five years and he has been an instrumental part of that.' The Maroons will announce their captain on Tuesday with Melbourne duo Harry Grant and Cameron Munster, along with Gold Coast captain Tino Fa'asuamaleaui the contenders. Slater has recalled Warriors centre/back-rower Kurt Capewell and axed Titans forward Beau Fermor in the 20-man squad. The playing 17 will also be confirmed on Tuesday although it is expected Brisbane No.6 Ezra Mam, Melbourne centre Jack Howarth and Canberra forward Corey Horsburgh will be listed as non-playing reserves. Queensland squad Kalyn Ponga, Xavier Coates, Robert Toia, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Valentine Holmes, Cameron Munster, Tom Dearden, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui, Harry Grant, Moeaki Fotuaika, Reuben Cotter, Jeremiah Nanai, Pat Carrigan, Kurt Mann, Lindsay Collins, Kurt Capewell, Trent Loiero, Ezra Mam, Jack Howarth, Corey Horsburgh.
West Australian
an hour ago
- West Australian
Ariarne Titmus walks away from Brisbane 2032 Olympics days before losing 400m freestyle world record
Australian legend Ariarne Titmus has declared she will not hang around to swim at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics — days before a young rival emphatically took her 400m freestyle world record. Titmus has been out of the pool since the end of a Paris 2024 campaign that reiterated her status as one of the sport's champions. But while the 24-year-old has rested and had a taste of life after swimming , her nearest rival has soared to new heights. After being beaten to gold by Titmus last year Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh smashed the Aussie's world record at the Canadian trials over the weekend. McIntosh clocked 3:54.18 — an astonishing 1.2 seconds faster than Titmus's previous mark from the 2023 world championships final. 'Touching the wall, you can kind of see my outburst of emotions because I was really not expecting that time. But overall I'm super, super happy,' McIntosh said. 'I think just seeing the time after two years of really pushing my hardest every day and training in this event and not seeing the results... 'So just kind of all that energy and anger and blood, sweat and tears built up and then finally having an amazing swim in it is just really, really satisfying.' McIntosh is gearing up to chase gold at the 2025 world championships against American legend Katie Ledecky. Titmus, meanwhile, will head down the slide for FightMND's Big Freeze 11 fundraiser at Monday's AFL blockbuster — one last cold plunge before jumping back into the familiar surrounds of a 50m pool. Her eyes are firmly on retaining her 400m crown at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, and no further. 'I know that this is the tail end of my career, I know that the LA Olympics will be my last,' Titmus said on Two Am I . With so much focus on her LA 2028 return, Titmus has never been so categorical on retiring before Brisbane 2032. She will 31 and just weeks away from turning 32 when the Queensland capital joins Melbourne (1956) and Sydney (2000) as an Olympic host city. Australia has never had a woman aged 31 or older swim at the Olympics, though Emma McKeon won one gold, one silver and one bronze at Paris 2024 soon after her 30th birthday. But life after swimming is far more important to Titmus than a slice of history. 'I just don't want to be an athlete that retires from their sport and is lost and has nothing to do,' she said. 'I think that it was so important for me to channel different areas of my life to know that when I do leave the sport behind, I'm going to be alright.' Titmus said she maintained high-volume training loads from the age of 13 to 21 and had never had more than two weeks off at a time. Two months off after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 gave her a taste of normal life, a precursor to a busy past 12 months. Titmus's absence from Brisbane 2032 in her adopted home state of Queensland would be a big blow for Australia, though fresh faces would doubtless emerge to contend for gold alongside a 28-year-old Mollie O'Callaghan. Kaylee McKeown, who turns 24 next month, has also previously declared she will not swim beyond Los Angeles 2028. McKeown will be the headline act at the Australian trials this week as the swimming world hones in on the world championships beginning in late July. Meanwhile at the Canadian trials, McIntosh set a marker ahead of her battle with Ledecky. Titmus and McIntosh have gone toe-to-tie since the Aussie first surpassed Ledecky in 2021. Titmus took Ledecky's Olympic crown in Tokyo then came for her world record in 2022. McIntosh claimed the world record for the first time in March the following year but Titmus responded in style just months later. She set a new world record of 3:55.38 to win gold at the 2023 world championships, with McIntosh missing out on the medals. Titmus then won gold at Paris 2024 by almost a second over McIntosh while Ledecky claimed bronze.
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
Titmus walks away from Brisbane Olympics days before losing world record
Australian legend Ariarne Titmus has declared she will not hang around to swim at the Brisbane 2032 Olympics — days before a young rival emphatically took her 400m freestyle world record. Titmus has been out of the pool since the end of a Paris 2024 campaign that reiterated her status as one of the sport's champions. But while the 24-year-old has rested and had a taste of life after swimming, her nearest rival has soared to new heights. After being beaten to gold by Titmus last year Canadian teenager Summer McIntosh smashed the Aussie's world record at the Canadian trials over the weekend. McIntosh clocked 3:54.18 — an astonishing 1.2 seconds faster than Titmus's previous mark from the 2023 world championships final. 'Touching the wall, you can kind of see my outburst of emotions because I was really not expecting that time. But overall I'm super, super happy,' McIntosh said. 'I think just seeing the time after two years of really pushing my hardest every day and training in this event and not seeing the results... 'So just kind of all that energy and anger and blood, sweat and tears built up and then finally having an amazing swim in it is just really, really satisfying.' McIntosh is gearing up to chase gold at the 2025 world championships against American legend Katie Ledecky. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. Titmus, meanwhile, will head down the slide for FightMND's Big Freeze 11 fundraiser at Monday's AFL blockbuster — one last cold plunge before jumping back into the familiar surrounds of a 50m pool. Her eyes are firmly on retaining her 400m crown at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, and no further. 'I know that this is the tail end of my career, I know that the LA Olympics will be my last,' Titmus said on Two Am I. With so much focus on her LA 2028 return, Titmus has never been so categorical on retiring before Brisbane 2032. She will 31 and just weeks away from turning 32 when the Queensland capital joins Melbourne (1956) and Sydney (2000) as an Olympic host city. Australia has never had a woman aged 31 or older swim at the Olympics, though Emma McKeon won one gold, one silver and one bronze at Paris 2024 soon after her 30th birthday. But life after swimming is far more important to Titmus than a slice of history. 'I just don't want to be an athlete that retires from their sport and is lost and has nothing to do,' she said. 'I think that it was so important for me to channel different areas of my life to know that when I do leave the sport behind, I'm going to be alright.' Titmus said she maintained high-volume training loads from the age of 13 to 21 and had never had more than two weeks off at a time. Two months off after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 gave her a taste of normal life, a precursor to a busy past 12 months. Two legends and a rising star: Katie Ledecky, Ariarne Titmus and Summer McIntosh share the 400m freestyle podium at Paris 2024. Credit: AAP Titmus's absence from Brisbane 2032 in her adopted home state of Queensland would be a big blow for Australia, though fresh faces would doubtless emerge to contend for gold alongside a 28-year-old Mollie O'Callaghan. Kaylee McKeown, who turns 24 next month, has also previously declared she will not swim beyond Los Angeles 2028. McKeown will be the headline act at the Australian trials this week as the swimming world hones in on the world championships beginning in late July. Meanwhile at the Canadian trials, McIntosh set a marker ahead of her battle with Ledecky. Titmus and McIntosh have gone toe-to-tie since the Aussie first surpassed Ledecky in 2021. Titmus took Ledecky's Olympic crown in Tokyo then came for her world record in 2022. McIntosh claimed the world record for the first time in March the following year but Titmus responded in style just months later. She set a new world record of 3:55.38 to win gold at the 2023 world championships, with McIntosh missing out on the medals. Titmus then won gold at Paris 2024 by almost a second over McIntosh while Ledecky claimed bronze.
