Kane Cornes escalates feud with Port Adelaide ruckman Ivan Soldo
Kane Cornes has doubled down on his criticism of Port ruckman Ivan Soldo as the war of words between the two took a fresh turn.
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Kane Cornes has returned serve to Port Adelaide ruckman Ivan Soldo as the feud between the former and current Power players escalates.
Soldo has been the topic of repeated rumours and discussion among the media over his supposed desire to leave Adelaide and his decision to skip the Power’s best and fairest awards due to a clash with his best mate’s wedding.
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His high-profile girlfriend Chelsea Becirevic has also been caught up in the drama, leading Soldo to pen a strong Instagram post on Wednesday slamming the “ridiculous narrative” and singling Cornes out by name.
The ex-Richmond ruckman’s proposed trade to a third club, St Kilda, fell through in part because of a failed fitness test and Cornes took the opportunity to respond in kind to the 28-year-old on AFL Trade Radio.
“If I was too hard on him for not attending the best-and-fairest when he had a valid reason to, I will put my hand up and say I got that part wrong,” Cornes said.
“But that was only part of my criticism over Ivan Soldo.
“Mainly it is because he breaks a contract at Richmond because he wasn’t the No. 1 ruckman, because he thinks he’s going to be the No. 1 ruckman at Port Adelaide.
“And a month or so into the season he quickly realises that someone (Jordon Sweet) has outperformed him and become the No. 1 ruckman.
“So at the end of the season, after probably not giving his all, I would say, because of that reason – the frustrations that he wasn’t playing every week as the No. 1 ruckman and there were some issues with his body, I understand that.
“He walks into his exit meeting at Port Adelaide and says, “I’m out and I want to break another contract and I want to go to St Kilda”. That’s largely my criticism.
“The only reason (Ivan has) got no intentions of leaving is because the club that you thought you were leaving to doesn’t want you anymore.
“That’s the only reason you’re staying at Port Adelaide.
“I said it’s going to be quite confronting for him to walk back into a club that he didn’t think he was going to go back into.”
Soldo swiped back at criticism of his desire to return to Victoria and glamorous partner Becirevic, who previously said the “novelty” of living in Adelaide had worn off.
“I’m honestly fed up with this ridiculous narrative that seems to not stop circulating,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Let’s just clear some things up. The only reason I didn’t attend the PAFC best and fairest was because it was on the same night as my best friend’s wedding that I was the best man for. The club fully supported me to attend.
“If that reflects badly on my character, then Kane our values clearly don’t align.
“In regards to this trade, this happens every year and it’s just a part of the job.
“I’m still contracted with Port and have no intention of leaving.
“The bullying and hate towards my partner also needs to stop. This backwards narrative is getting old.”
Soldo’s response came as Port Adelaide football boss Chris Davies told Trade Radio he had permission to be in the wedding party and was likely to stay at the club, where he is contracted for the next two seasons.
“I think Ivan hasn’t settled into Adelaide the way he would’ve liked and maybe the way we would’ve liked and we have a part to play in that,” Davies said.
“We’ve got to try to help him settle into the city a little bit more and if he can’t do that we’ll probably be in this situation again next year.
“Unless something happens today (before the trade deadline), he comes back to our club and fights for a ruck spot.
“I think he’s probably staying. “When (St Kilda) didn’t like his knee for whatever reason, I think that was the only option there for Ivan. I expect he will stay with us now.”
The trade deadline came and went on Wednesday evening, with Soldo remaining at the Power and left fighting for a senior position in 2025.
Originally published as Kane Cornes escalates feud with Port Adelaide ruckman Ivan Soldo
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