Cornes axed as Port prepare for new coaching regime

The Advertiser

15 hours ago

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."