Cornes family a house divided

Not much can get between the tight-knit Cornes family but Sunday’s SANFL grand final between Port Adelaide and Glenelg has divided the SA football dynasty — so who is backing who?

Kane Cornes with his sons, Raph, 11, Sonny, 9 and Eddy, 13 at Glenelg Football Club, ahead of the grand-final on Sunday. Picture: Matt Loxton

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Not much can get between the tight-knit Cornes family but Sunday’s SANFL grand final between Port Adelaide and Glenelg has divided the SA footballing dynasty.

Glenelg legend Graham — the club’s last premiership coach — and his son Kane remain firmly in the Bays camp, while Graham’s other son Chad has switched sides as a Magpies assistant coach.

Kane, who played 300 matches with Port Adelaide in the AFL, said his own household is split down the middle with his youngest son Sonny, 9, hoping Glenelg can secure their first flag since 1986.

Sonny’s brothers Raph, 11, and Eddy, 13, have sided with their uncle Chad for the big clash at the Adelaide Oval.

“That’s the way it’s fallen, I didn’t have a lot of influence over it. Eddy helped Chad out a bit when he was coach of the Maggies and all the boys went to a lot of the Port games, so their allegiances are with their uncle,” Kane said.

“But Sonny’s allegiances are with his grandpa. It’ll be interesting, dad’s got his girls (Graham’s daughters Amy, Gia and Charlize) who are Port as well.

“There will be a bit of friendly banter for sure, we’re all going along (to the game) together. It’ll be interesting to see who gets the last laugh.”

Kane admitted he’ll be a “bit torn” over the result but painful memories of Glenelg’s losses to Port Adelaide in the 1990 and 1992 grand finals still linger.

“I was at 1990 grand final with Chad in the Glenelg cheersquad — dad was coaching — and we were in tears when they lost against Port Adelaide. It was pretty brutal. Port has broken our hearts a few times so hopefully that won’t happen again,” said Kane, now a media personality with SEN SA radio and The Advertiser.

“I was three years old when they won their last premiership … so it’d be nice to see them win on Sunday.”