Dropping Adelaide Crows forward Tony Modra in 1994 nowhere near as big a story as Josh Rachele’s axing

Graham Cornes still harbours regrets for dropping Tony Modra on disciplinary grounds in 1994. As big as that was at the time, he says it’s nothing compared to what the Crows face now.

Graham Cornes says he still regrets dropping Tony Modra for a crucial match towards the end of the 1994 season – and concedes it hurt his chances of keeping his job the following year.

In a selection bombshell not dissimilar to Josh Rachele’s axing, then Crows coach Cornes bowed to pressure from his senior players and left Modra out of the round 18 team to face bottom-placed Sydney at Football Park.

SA’s biggest sporting name at the time, Modra had missed a team rehabilitation session during the week and the club’s senior players was adamant that the high-flyer – who had kicked 60 goals to that point of the year – had to pay the price.

Tony Modra with coach Graham Cornes in August 1994.

The end result? Adelaide lost by 12 points to the cellar dwellers in a major upset, all but ending their finals hopes.

The Crows inaugural mentor, Cornes said if he had his time again, he’d have handled the situation differently.

“What he did wasn’t that dramatic. He just missed a rehab session. I think there was a bit of jealousy among the playing group,” he said.

“Hindsight’s a wonderful thing. It hadn’t been a great year but we were still a chance to make the eight. We were still in contention. It was the bottom team, we should have beaten them and we didn’t. I think it was more a distraction than an inspiration for the team.”

Legendary Adelaide Crows players Ben Hart, Tony Modra, Tony McGuinness and Nigel Smart in 1993. Picture: Ray Titus

Cornes was dismissed at the end of the season after four years as coach, and after leading the club to the 1993 preliminary final.

“It (the Swans loss) definitely added to the pressure. We got beaten by the bottom team and having got to the prelim final the year before and having such high expectations, there was disappointment,” he said.

“I don’t know if the decision had already been made to move me on but it definitely contributed.”

Josh Rachele training with Adelaide's SANFL team on Friday. Picture: Dean Martin

Graham Cornes coaching the Crows in 1994. Picture: Nicholas Wilson

Despite Modra’s standing as the club’s highest-profile player, Cornes said Rachele’s axing this week was a “much bigger story”.

“Dropping Tony Modra was a big story, it was a massive story – but it was nowhere near as big as this,” he said.

“I can’t remember it being anything like this. He got dropped, we played the game, lost, and he went surfing. I don’t think the Crows anticipated the fallout that would come this week.”