Latest news with #Cornes
7NEWS
2 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Kane Cornes and Western Bulldogs ‘agree' on team defence issues after Brisbane defeat
Kane Cornes, one of the Western Bulldogs' biggest critics in recent years, has lauded the club's acknowledgement that their team defence is letting them down. The Bulldogs sit ninth on the AFL ladder and are effectively two wins outside the eight — provided, as expected, that Gold Coast beat the injury-ravaged Bombers in their rescheduled make-up game after Round 24 — after going down to premiership contenders Brisbane last Friday night. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Kane Cornes and Western Bulldogs 'agree' on team defence struggles. The Dogs were opened up by the kick-happy Lions who, true to their well-documented modus operandi, dominated uncontested possession and uncontested marks. Speaking after the game, both coach Luke Beveridge and star midfielder Tom Liberatore admitted team defence was their shortfall. 'That'll be the one that stands out for us with our team defence — we need to do it better,' Beveridge told reporters after Friday night's clash. 'It's just too hard to circumvent those scoring opportunities once they go into the middle, it just opens everything up.' In similar language, Liberatore added: 'Just more team defence. Our team defence wasn't really good enough for what they try and do and how they move the ball.' Cornes was earlier this year banned from the Bulldogs' changerooms and has a frosty, if at all existent, relationship with Beveridge due to his persistent criticism of the club. The pair exchanged words in a heated moment before the Bulldogs' Round 11 clash with Geelong at GMHBA Stadium. But Cornes is now singing the praises of Beveridge for finally recognising the glaring issue. 'A gallant effort by the Dogs, but the (lack of) team defence was the concession there from Luke Beveridge and also Libba,' Craig Hutchison said on The Agenda Setters on Monday night. 'It's been a claim they've been defending hard against your criticism all year, Kane, so do you feel a little bit vindicated that they're now conceding that's an issue in their game.' Cornes responded: 'I'm thrilled that we agree, that's the main point there. 'So, to hear Luke Beveridge and Libba say that and acknowledge that's been a big issue, to be on the same page now, is awesome. 'It's sort of what I've been saying for three years; they've pushed back pretty hard on that, they've got pretty nasty at times when (they've) been asked about that question. 'I think the footy industry is now clearly acknowledging what I've been saying for three years.' Asked by Caroline Wilson if the Dogs had 'paid enough attention to it' up until this point, Cornes was emphatic. 'Well, no! These numbers have been the mainstay of their problems for every year other than the years they've played in the grand finals and won the premiership under Luke Beveridge and he's refused to acknowledge it, he's got quite nasty about it,' he said. 'But I'm just sitting here and relaxed that we're now on the same page.'
7NEWS
16-07-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Luke Beveridge responds as expert AFL commentator Kane Cornes questions Bulldogs' ‘deplorable' defensive profile
The feud between Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge and expert AFL commentator Kane Cornes is clearly not dissipating with Beveridge again proving he is not handling criticism well. After losing to Adelaide at Marvel Stadium on the weekend, the Dogs are currently ninth on the ladder with a questionable record against teams above them on the ladder. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today They conceded 109 points in the loss to the Crows and Cornes, who rates the playing group highly, has put the coach in the spotlight due to the team's 'deplorable' defensive profile. They are 1-7 against top-eight teams this year and rank ninth for points against. 'Every single year I sit in a chair like this and we've got the same discussion about the Bulldogs,' Cornes said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters. 'So we're here again because no coach does less with more than that man, Luke Beveridge. Sam Power (Bulldogs list boss) has handed him a high-powered sports car and he drives it like a busted up Camry. That's just the reality of it.' Cornes clearly hit a nerve with Beveridge unable to bite his tongue during a media conference on Wednesday. When questioned about Cornes' latest swipe, Beveridge asked if any of the journalists present worked with the 300-game Port Adelaide great. 'I just feel sorry for you,' Beveridge said, before walking off. Beveridge's feuding history with members of the media is long and rich. And Cornes' questions on the Bulldogs and the coach are not without reason. Cornes believes the list is up there with the best teams in the comp and thinks they will feature in the finals. But they rank ninth for points against from turnovers at 44.6 per game and are 14th for stopping their opposition scoring once they are inside-50. 'They're so offensively minded with the football that when you do turn the footy over, off turnover, they're horrible,' Cornes said. 'And their profile, they don't score heavily enough off their own turnover. 'They'll make the finals. But once again, we're having the exact same conversation about a coach that they re-signed when they didn't need to.' On Friday the Bulldogs have a huge clash with reigning premiers Brisbane at the Gabba which shapes as season-defining. Last time they played in Gather Round in April, the Dogs led the Lions by 39 points. But in a dramatic change of events, the Lions found form to produce a 60-point swing and win by 21 points. Marcus Bontempelli 'close' to re-signing with Bulldogs Luke Beveridge believes the club and captain Marcus Bontempelli are moving closer to a new deal. Arguably the best player in the AFL, the 29-year-old is off-contract at the end of the season. With just six weeks before the end of the home and away campaign, Bulldogs fans have become increasingly anxious about their premiership-winning superstar. While tight-lipped, Beveridge's response and grin indicated he wasn't too concerned about Bontempelli potentially seeking a league-shifting move elsewhere. 'I think we're getting close, but that's all I can really say,' Beveridge said on Wednesday. Beveridge's remarks came on a day when Jamarra Ugle-Hagan returned to the club after more than a week away spent dealing with a family matter back in his home in western Victoria. Ugle-Hagan trained with the main group as the Dogs prepare for their Friday night blockbuster against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. The 23-year-old hasn't played a game at any level this season after dealing with mental health and personal issues. 'I can't really give you much other than he's chipping away, and he's training when he can,' Beveridge said of Ugle-Hagan. 'He's had some bereavement stuff back with the mob in Framlingham and he's working his way back through his fitness levels.'
7NEWS
14-07-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Detail in Alastair Clarkson's public messaging paints worrying picture
Channel 7 commentator Kane Cornes has questioned whether North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson still has the passion after another 'uninspiring' performance. The Roos slumped to their 12th loss of the season on Sunday to remain in 16th place on the ladder, just ahead of Richmond on percentage and rock bottom West Coast. The six-goal loss to the Demons was a 95-point turnaround from the game earlier in the season when the Roos romped to a 59-point victory. Since becoming North's coach ahead of the 2023 season, Clarkson has won just 10 games. While they do have one of the youngest lists in the competition, it is also packed with elite talent thanks to years of high-end draft picks. But despite boasting a stack of gun midfielders and potent forward line, the defence has always been the big concern. This year, the Roos have conceded the second-most points in the competition, trailing only the Eagles in the unwanted statistic. Last year they conceded the most of any team, while in 2023 they were second-most. Clarkson looks 'defeated', according to Cornes, who also noted that the master coach said the word 'um' 70 times in his media conference. 'I sat through his media conference twice after the game and maybe I'm harsh on coaches that face the media straight after the game, but he is as uninspiring as I've seen him,' he said on The Agenda Setters. 'And he looks as though he's lost the passion. 'So in eight minutes and one second, he said the word 'um' 70 times. He said it 70 times. I counted them. And it's just the same monotonous (stuff).' While admitting he may be harsh on the coach, he said he'd be critical on other senior figures like AFL CEO Andrew Dillon if it was the same situation. 'Not selling the club at all ... He looks defeated. We'd be so critical of Andrew Dillon and his messaging or if that was an official like Laura Kane from the AFL,' he continued. 'This is your messenger for your club after you've lost another game. You've conceded 100 plus for the ninth time this year. 'They've conceded 130 four times this year. Only West Coast have conceded more, 17 points more than North Melbourne this year. 'I think he has been (a salesman). I think (his message has been previously) 'come with us, I'm angry, this is not good and I'm not accepting this anymore from this group'. 'Not 'um... Well um... Um...' 70 times.' Fellow panellist Nick Riewoldt wondered if Clarkson was holding back slightly given it was such a young group of players. 'There has to be some method to that though, doesn't there?' He said. 'Because we've seen him at times not be able to control his emotions and his anger and his frustration. When he's been on that edge, he's been at his best. 'Does that disappear from someone or is that just innate within you? Do you reckon there's a fear if I go too hard I'm going to lose them?' Cornes called on Clarkson to 'demand more from the young group' with his public messaging and cited West Coast coach Andrew McQualter's critical comments about undisciplined acts from young gun Harley Reid. 'We saw what Andrew McQualter said about Harley Reid. There's never any of that from Clarko,' he continued. 'There's never any 'McKercher missed another three tackles', they love what he's doing offensively and we've got a player here but he cannot be missing that Christian Petrarca tackle that cost us a goal. 'We can't have Harry Sheezel doing ... We can't have our senior players .... There's just none of that. 'Maybe as I said, I'm being a little bit harsh but he looks defeated. 'I listened to it twice and I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I urge you to go and check it. 'Seventy 'ums' in eight minutes and one second.'
The Advertiser
08-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Cornes axed as Port prepare for new coaching regime
The first big call has been made for Josh Carr's new regime at Port Adelaide, with long-time Power player and coach Chad Cornes axed for next season. It is a massive decision at Alberton, given Cornes is one of the longest-serving figures in Port's AFL history. After playing for Port from 1999-2011 - Cornes and Carr were premiership teammates in 2004 - Cornes returned to coach their SANFL side from 2016 and had been an AFL assistant since the end of 2017. Chad was the last member of SA football's famed Cornes family still working at an AFL club. His father Graham was the inaugural Adelaide Crows coach. Younger brother Kane also played in Port's '04 premiership team and is now one of the AFL's highest-profile media commentators. Carr and Cornes are currently assistant coaches under Ken Hinkley at Port. Carr will take over from Hinkley as senior coach once this season ends. It means Port will soon have at least two vacancies among their coaching staff. Port made the announcement on Tuesday, after Hinkley's weekly media conference. "Chad has been an outstanding servant of our club as a premiership player, as a coach within our program since returning at the end of 2015 and of course as a member of our Hall of Fame," said Port football boss Chris Davies. "Given his tenure at the club we wanted to provide Chad with clarity as early as possible so he has maximum time to consider his future." Meanwhile, Hinkley has been left rueing a second night of carnage at the Gabba in four seasons, jokingly suggesting the Brisbane venue should be knocked down immediately. Power trio Sam Powell-Pepper, Esava Ratugolea and Dante Visentini have been ruled out for the rest of the AFL season after all suffered injuries in Saturday night's brave loss against reigning premiers Brisbane. Powell-Pepper requires a reconstruction on his left knee after suffering the same injury to his right knee in round eight last year. Defender Ratugolea will be sidelined by a hamstring tear and young ruckman Visentini by an ankle injury. In a tight loss against the Lions at the Gabba in 2022, Port also suffered four injuries after leading at three-quarter-time. "It's not a great ground, we're not going back there again," Hinkley quipped to reporters on Tuesday. "Can we change that ground? "When are they going to pull it down and build something there for the Olympics? "Sooner the better. Sorry, Brisbane." AFL games will be played at the Gabba until 2032 before the Lions move to the new stadium at Victoria Park that will host the Brisbane Olympics. Powell-Pepper underwent surgery on Monday, as the forward aims to play a role in Port's 2026 campaign. The loss against the Lions finished Port's chances of reaching the finals in Hinkley's last season. "He's such a great person, a powerful person. He'll get after his rehab," Hinkley said of Powell-Pepper. "My message to him was I look forward to see you playing your next game. Forwards Ollie Lord and Jeremy Finlayson, who are coming off five-goal hauls in the SANFL, will be considered for recalls against West Coast this Sunday. "We've played five debutants, we're always exploring our list, but we won't explore our list at the expense of our best performance," Hinkley said. "We're in the business of still winning football as much as we possibly can until the end of the year. "The club, the coaches are all on the same page with that." The first big call has been made for Josh Carr's new regime at Port Adelaide, with long-time Power player and coach Chad Cornes axed for next season. It is a massive decision at Alberton, given Cornes is one of the longest-serving figures in Port's AFL history. After playing for Port from 1999-2011 - Cornes and Carr were premiership teammates in 2004 - Cornes returned to coach their SANFL side from 2016 and had been an AFL assistant since the end of 2017. Chad was the last member of SA football's famed Cornes family still working at an AFL club. His father Graham was the inaugural Adelaide Crows coach. Younger brother Kane also played in Port's '04 premiership team and is now one of the AFL's highest-profile media commentators. Carr and Cornes are currently assistant coaches under Ken Hinkley at Port. Carr will take over from Hinkley as senior coach once this season ends. It means Port will soon have at least two vacancies among their coaching staff. Port made the announcement on Tuesday, after Hinkley's weekly media conference. "Chad has been an outstanding servant of our club as a premiership player, as a coach within our program since returning at the end of 2015 and of course as a member of our Hall of Fame," said Port football boss Chris Davies. "Given his tenure at the club we wanted to provide Chad with clarity as early as possible so he has maximum time to consider his future." Meanwhile, Hinkley has been left rueing a second night of carnage at the Gabba in four seasons, jokingly suggesting the Brisbane venue should be knocked down immediately. Power trio Sam Powell-Pepper, Esava Ratugolea and Dante Visentini have been ruled out for the rest of the AFL season after all suffered injuries in Saturday night's brave loss against reigning premiers Brisbane. Powell-Pepper requires a reconstruction on his left knee after suffering the same injury to his right knee in round eight last year. Defender Ratugolea will be sidelined by a hamstring tear and young ruckman Visentini by an ankle injury. In a tight loss against the Lions at the Gabba in 2022, Port also suffered four injuries after leading at three-quarter-time. "It's not a great ground, we're not going back there again," Hinkley quipped to reporters on Tuesday. "Can we change that ground? "When are they going to pull it down and build something there for the Olympics? "Sooner the better. Sorry, Brisbane." AFL games will be played at the Gabba until 2032 before the Lions move to the new stadium at Victoria Park that will host the Brisbane Olympics. Powell-Pepper underwent surgery on Monday, as the forward aims to play a role in Port's 2026 campaign. The loss against the Lions finished Port's chances of reaching the finals in Hinkley's last season. "He's such a great person, a powerful person. He'll get after his rehab," Hinkley said of Powell-Pepper. "My message to him was I look forward to see you playing your next game. Forwards Ollie Lord and Jeremy Finlayson, who are coming off five-goal hauls in the SANFL, will be considered for recalls against West Coast this Sunday. "We've played five debutants, we're always exploring our list, but we won't explore our list at the expense of our best performance," Hinkley said. "We're in the business of still winning football as much as we possibly can until the end of the year. "The club, the coaches are all on the same page with that." The first big call has been made for Josh Carr's new regime at Port Adelaide, with long-time Power player and coach Chad Cornes axed for next season. It is a massive decision at Alberton, given Cornes is one of the longest-serving figures in Port's AFL history. After playing for Port from 1999-2011 - Cornes and Carr were premiership teammates in 2004 - Cornes returned to coach their SANFL side from 2016 and had been an AFL assistant since the end of 2017. Chad was the last member of SA football's famed Cornes family still working at an AFL club. His father Graham was the inaugural Adelaide Crows coach. Younger brother Kane also played in Port's '04 premiership team and is now one of the AFL's highest-profile media commentators. Carr and Cornes are currently assistant coaches under Ken Hinkley at Port. Carr will take over from Hinkley as senior coach once this season ends. It means Port will soon have at least two vacancies among their coaching staff. Port made the announcement on Tuesday, after Hinkley's weekly media conference. "Chad has been an outstanding servant of our club as a premiership player, as a coach within our program since returning at the end of 2015 and of course as a member of our Hall of Fame," said Port football boss Chris Davies. "Given his tenure at the club we wanted to provide Chad with clarity as early as possible so he has maximum time to consider his future." Meanwhile, Hinkley has been left rueing a second night of carnage at the Gabba in four seasons, jokingly suggesting the Brisbane venue should be knocked down immediately. Power trio Sam Powell-Pepper, Esava Ratugolea and Dante Visentini have been ruled out for the rest of the AFL season after all suffered injuries in Saturday night's brave loss against reigning premiers Brisbane. Powell-Pepper requires a reconstruction on his left knee after suffering the same injury to his right knee in round eight last year. Defender Ratugolea will be sidelined by a hamstring tear and young ruckman Visentini by an ankle injury. In a tight loss against the Lions at the Gabba in 2022, Port also suffered four injuries after leading at three-quarter-time. "It's not a great ground, we're not going back there again," Hinkley quipped to reporters on Tuesday. "Can we change that ground? "When are they going to pull it down and build something there for the Olympics? "Sooner the better. Sorry, Brisbane." AFL games will be played at the Gabba until 2032 before the Lions move to the new stadium at Victoria Park that will host the Brisbane Olympics. Powell-Pepper underwent surgery on Monday, as the forward aims to play a role in Port's 2026 campaign. The loss against the Lions finished Port's chances of reaching the finals in Hinkley's last season. "He's such a great person, a powerful person. He'll get after his rehab," Hinkley said of Powell-Pepper. "My message to him was I look forward to see you playing your next game. Forwards Ollie Lord and Jeremy Finlayson, who are coming off five-goal hauls in the SANFL, will be considered for recalls against West Coast this Sunday. "We've played five debutants, we're always exploring our list, but we won't explore our list at the expense of our best performance," Hinkley said. "We're in the business of still winning football as much as we possibly can until the end of the year. "The club, the coaches are all on the same page with that."
The Age
08-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Cornes to exit Port's coaching panel after Hinkley's departure
Former Port Adelaide premiership star Chad Cornes will not be part of the club's coaching panel under new coach Josh Carr. Port Adelaide confirmed on Tuesday that Cornes, a 2004 premiership star from the famed South Australian football family, would not continue as a member of the club's coaching panel in 2026. The exit of Cornes, whose brother Kane also played in the Power's 2004 flag and has become a noted media commentator, means that Port Adelaide will have vacancies for at least two coaches, given that senior coach Ken Hinkley's time finishes at the end of this season when Carr, a premiership teammate of Cornes, takes over. Chad Cornes has been part of Hinkley's coaching panel since the 2016 season, making this his 10th season under the departing senior coach. He is the forwards coach in 2025. Port have resisted calls for Carr to be given the senior position earlier than the arranged handover at season's end, when Hinkley will finish after 13 seasons as head coach. Port Adelaide general manager of football Chris Davies said the club wanted to advise Cornes as early as possible, given his tenure at the club. 'Chad has been an outstanding servant of our club as a premiership player, as a coach within our program since returning at the end of 2015, and of course as a member of our hall of fame,' Davies said. 'Given his tenure at the club, we wanted to provide Chad with clarity as early as possible so he has maximum time to consider his future.'
