Appearing on Channel 7's Unfiltered, former Port Adelaide star and current AFL commentator Kane Cornes faced the hypothetical question of how his hard-hitting media persona would have treated his playing self. Host Hamish McLachlan posed the scenario to the 43-year-old, who responded through his commentator lens.
Cornes on Cornes
“Kane in the media would have been hard on Kane as a player,” Cornes said. “Like, if I got a hold of that best-and-fairest story, I would have whacked him. I just would have. So it’s kind of interesting to analyse a lot of that, isn’t it?”
The best-and-fairest story refers to Cornes finishing runner-up in Port Adelaide's club champion award for the second straight year in 2005, a result that left him frustrated. McLachlan also asked about Cornes’ decision to leave football mid-season in 2015 to join the fire brigade while the club was struggling.
“Same thing. I would have said selfish, putting himself in front of the team. All would have been accurate, by the way,” Cornes said.
Personal Impact of Criticism
Cornes revealed how he reacted as a player to harsh media criticism. He recalled a front-page article by inaugural Adelaide Crows captain Chris McDermott in the Sunday Mail in 2009, arguing Cornes should not be in Port Adelaide's Round 1 team.
“I didn’t speak to him for 10 years and Chris McDermott was my idol. I loved Chris McDermott. I still love Chris McDermott,” Cornes said. McLachlan noted the irony, to which Cornes replied: “The inspirational captain of Glenelg, the team I love, the first captain of the Crows. He was great to me as a kid and he wrote this article. I didn’t speak to him for 10 years.”
Regrets and Hot Takes
As a commentator, Cornes said his “main regrets” are usually when he dials up his hot takes “10-15 per cent” too much. He defended some of his controversial opinions, such as targeting North Melbourne’s Harry Sheezel and Richmond’s Tim Taranto.
“So I don’t really regret calling out Harry Sheezel,” Cornes said, referring to his 'Sheezy-ball' take on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters. “Because what I was saying, I think, had merit based on facts or based on my opinion from watching. I don’t think what I said about Tim Taranto was wrong. I just dialled it up 10-15 per cent too much. Same on Sheezel. So I don’t necessarily regret. I’ve got things wrong.
“I said, Richmond shouldn’t recruit Dion Prestia because they’re not in the premiership window. Well, Dion’s got a couple of medals around his neck to prove me otherwise. That was just an opinion. But the ones I regret are those that I’ve dialled up 10-15 per cent too much, turned the needle too far and got, not personal, but to the point where I can understand this would have had an impact on them.”
