Kane Cornes blasted for comments putting Sydney Swans premiership hopes before alleged sexual assault victim
Kane Cornes has been lashed for focusing on the potential fallout for Sydney Swans players if an alleged sexual assault incident at a Melbourne hotel costs the team a premiership.
The AFL premiership winner addressed the potential football consequences on Channel Seven on Monday night.
Several Swans players voluntarily spoke to police after distressed women were seen at the Pullman East Melbourne hotel, with no arrests or wrongdoing alleged.
‘What the future holds for those players remains to be seen,’ Cornes said.
‘But if I was a teammate of one of those and it had the prospect of costing us potentially a premiership, I’m not sure I would ever forgive them.’
Sports presenter and digital creator Lavender Baj responded by accusing Cornes of placing the Swans’ flag hopes ahead of the alleged sexual assault victim.
Lavender Baj criticised football commentators including Kane Cornes (pictured) for focusing on Sydney’s premiership prospects while police investigate an alleged sexual assault
Dean Cox had guided Sydney into second position and secured a home qualifying final before the investigation emerged publicly
Baj said the potential consequences for the alleged victim should take precedence over speculation about the Swans’ premiership hopes.
‘Now I am not asserting that anyone is guilty or innocent, we don’t know the severity of the allegations,’ she said.
‘What I do know, as former journalist and person with at least one functioning brain cell, is that in instances of allegations of sexual assault, the sexual assault part is always more important than the Swans finals fixture.
‘If I have to see one more news article or tweet from a journalist, that this is going to devastate the finals fixture or it’s ruining people’s SuperCoach or whatever.
‘For the love of God, can we take one second to think about the alleged victim who has come forward saying that they were allegedly sexually assaulted.
‘That it is now reading headlines about how it is going to devastate the Swans finals fixture, use your brain I beg you.’
Isaac Heeney (pictured) voluntarily spoke with police as officers investigated the reported incident, with no wrongdoing alleged against him
James Jordon was questioned by investigators but is also not accused of any wrongdoing
Chad Warner was another player that assisted police with their inquiries after the alleged hotel incident but has not been accused of any worngdoing
Riley Bice was another one of the Sydney Swans players that spoke with poiice but has not been accused of any wrongdoing
Baj said the potential consequences for the alleged victim should take precedence.
Baj’s message drew support from viewers who shared her concern about the framing of the story.
‘Exceptionally well said LB, I hope the people that need to see this, do,’ one person wrote.
‘Reading your comments is such a massive indicator on WHY this message is so vital.’
Another added: ‘Yep, you are spot on. Reporting on this is horrible. SA should always be more important to talk about and what it has cost women at the hands of men.’
Others defended Cornes and argued that his role required him to address the football consequences.
‘He did also say he’s only going to comment on the footy side of it as it’s all allegations,’ one response read.
‘He’s a football journalist not a crime reporter, of course he’s going to do his job and talk about the effect it has on football,’ another said.
Her comments came after the police investigation dominated all major AFL television programs on Monday night.
Former Melbourne captain Garry Lyon described the situation as an ‘unmitigated disaster’ for the Swans and the AFL during the Kayo Sports program AFL 360.
‘Dean Cox has worked his a*** off all year, the players have worked their backsides off,’ Lyon said.
‘They are a game out from a final series. They can’t be moved out of the top two.
‘They’ve got a qualifying final at home to look forward to in the sold-out SCG, that should be all that we’re talking about, and that’ll be the last thing that’s discussed in the coming weeks for the Swans.’
Four-time Hawthorn premiership player Jordan Lewis went further, declaring Sydney’s hopes of winning the flag were finished.
‘My honest opinion is you put a line through them,’ Lewis said on On The Couch.
‘I don’t think you can come back from an incident of this nature in this series to then push it to the side and become a premiership team in 2026.
‘You need everything to go right, but this will be going on in the background … there’s still this ongoing investigation that’s hanging over the head of everyone that’s involved. So, from a footballing perspective, 2026 is done.’
Garry Lyon called the situation an ‘unmitigated disaster’ and warned Sydney’s finals campaign would be overshadowed by it
Swans CEO Matthew Pavlich confirmed several players were involved in an alleged incident but declined to discuss details under police investigation
Victoria Police confirmed it was investigating a report of a sexual assault at a Wellington Parade hotel during the early hours of Monday morning.
Several Swans players voluntarily spoke to police as investigators made inquiries. No arrests had been announced, and the reports did not suggest those players were under investigation or implicated in wrongdoing.
‘The exact circumstances are yet to be established and the investigation into the incident remains ongoing,’ Victoria Police said.
The Swans said they were ‘extremely shocked and disappointed’ and were conducting internal inquiries while assisting the AFL and relevant authorities.
Daily Mail does not suggest any of the players are under investigation or involved in any wrongdoing, just that they spoke to police about the alleged incident.
