Footy great Kane Cornes has made a media career out of slamming players – now his old teammate reveals shocking fact from his past that paints him as a huge hypocrite
Former Port Adelaide captain Dom Cassisi believes outspoken commentator and ex-teammate Kane Cornes is a hypocrite given his own reaction to criticism during his playing days.
Cassisi and Cornes won a premiership together in 2004 with the Power – but the decorated midfielder feels the Channel Seven identity is often too scathing when it comes to modern-day stars.
‘Knowing Kane, I was drafted in the same year as him, I was with him every day and us guys understand that if someone said something about Kane’s game he took it worse than anyone,’ Cassisi said on Channel 7’s Two Team Town show.
‘He would literally struggle to come to the club, he wouldn’t talk to anyone. He would be flat.
‘So we (ex-Port Adelaide teammates) sort of look at it and go, what you are doing to this kid… you couldn’t really take it yourself when someone criticised you.’
Cassisi was referring to Cornes recently singling out North Melbourne players Harry Sheezel and Jy Simpkin.
Former Port Adelaide captain Dom Cassisi believes outspoken commentator and ex-teammate Kane Cornes is a hypocrite given his own reaction to criticism during his playing days
Cassisi and Cornes (pictured together) won the 2004 premiership with the Power
Cornes is currently off limits at North Melbourne, with the club feeling his recent attacks on Harry Sheezel and Jy Simpkin were ‘personal and vindictive’
Kangaroos coach Alastair Clarkson believes Cornes crossed a line with his criticism
Cornes’ stinging criticism resulted in the struggling Kangaroos banning him from conducting a pre-game interview with coach Alastair Clarkson ahead of the club’s clash with Essendon on May 1, adamant the attacks were ‘personal and vindictive.’
The club will also refuse to do other media opportunities involving Cornes, who additionally works for SEN and has a big presence on social media.
Cassisi wasn’t finished, as he had some advice for the likes of Sheezel and Simpkin: take Cornes’ criticism on the chin.
‘For us who are close to him we sort of laugh it off a bit because it is like ‘you struggled with that and you are doing it to this kid’, which doesn’t really stack up,’ he added.
‘Because Kane struggled with it so much, and he has spoken publicly about his anxiety….you do ask how can you (then) inflict that on other people….but that is the path he has gone down.
‘And so to all the players out there….maybe take it with a pinch of salt.’
Cornes confirmed has no plans to tone down his views, adamant it his job as a media pundit.
‘I was affected in my career (by criticism) and I’ve spoken openly about that,’ he said.
‘You try and keep it footy related, I’ve always had strong opinions and I’m not going to back away from that.
‘These players are (also) well rewarded….and I think the (Kangaroos) supporters demand success and when you haven’t had it for a long time, then hard questions need to be asked.’
