Exclusive interview: Aussie rules legend Graham Cornes goes one-on-one with AFL champion son turned media personality Kane Cornes

Who better to get the real story out of the AFL champion turned media controversy magnet than his own father?

My younger son Kane was a kid wracked by self-doubt and negativity. His outlook was often pessimistic.

He’d been a big baby and a toddler with the fattest face imaginable. But as he grew into his school years, all that faded away.

Sport was his escape. 300 AFL games later with a premiership, four best-and-fairest awards and two All-Australian selections, he retired.

Kane has opened up to dad Graham Cornes. Picture: Matt Loxton

He qualified as a fire officer but the media called. His media presence is of a contrarian nature which polarises opinion. I wouldn’t choose to write or speak about him but the Sunday Mail thought it would be a good idea – so, please, don’t blame me

KC:I don’t know if it changed. I probably still am. Probably still have the anxiety and probably still think the worst of situations and, I don’t know – I have a bit of OCD and a bit of a negative outlook on things from time to time. I’ve probably just become better at dealing with it.

Kane Cornes as a toddler

Kane Cornes with his sons, Raph, 11, Sonny, 9 and Eddy, 13 at Glenelg Football Club. Picture: Matt Loxton

GC: But how, because when you when you read your record and look at the things you’re doing now in the media, you’d think ‘there was someone who was supremely confident in his own skin, in his own opinion’.

KC: I’ve probably got more confident. And I know I’m reasonably good at it. If that’s, you know, if I can say that as humbly as I possibly can.

GC: There’s nothing humble about saying that.

KC: But I always think this will be my last day, or I’ll get sacked tomorrow or what if I get sued and say something I shouldn’t have?

There’s always that sort of nagging (feeling). It’s not dissimilar to when I played and I was playing on the great players – you always think they’re going to have 30 (disposals) and kick two (goals) and they are going to get best on ground.

I never went into a game confident, thinking, I’ve got this guy’s measure or I’m going to get the better of him this game.

Maybe that was a way for me to always be prepared for the worst situation, if that came. And that’s probably still the way I am wired a little bit today – but I think it has kept me on edge.

Kane and dad Graham Cornes share a moment at Glenelg Oval. Picture: Matt Loxton

GC: How do you look back on those early years? I think your childhood was tough. You were young when your mother and I split up, and it wasn’t easy.

KC: It was really hard because I was close to Mum. I just remember I was always loved and I was thankful I was loved and always had a secure home and was fed and all of that.

But it was just a sad environment.

And then I guess when we came to your house, it was a bit more upbeat and we did things and it was the fun time. I remember, you know, on a Sunday night when you were dropping us home, I didn’t love going home.

Mum would be shattered to hear that but it’s almost like your grandparents when they are the fun ones and you hand (the kids) back to the parents.

She worked hard to do everything she could for us and did the best she knew how. But I guess it was just a sad childhood.

I remember going to a friend’s house and asking to stay one night and then I would ask to stay for two nights.

Then I’d end up staying there for the week.

But as you said in your in your opening, footy was an escape. And this oval (Glenelg) means a lot.

I remember when Chad started playing league footy, I’d come and sit right here and I watched training and always had that escape of ‘one day I’m going to be an AFL footballer’, and I couldn’t have imagined anything other than being that.

GC: So did that ambition drive you?

KC: Yeah, I was obsessed by it. I don’t know what I would have done if it didn’t work out the way it did. I was, as you know, pretty hard to deal with.

If I’ve got any sort of regrets it’s the way I carried myself as a young player. Some people would have thought it was selfishness because I just wanted to play and get ahead and get best on ground.

I was more just trying to get the best out of myself and didn’t really know how to do it in the best team-oriented way. I was a bit too self-centred.

It probably wasn’t until the back end of my career I got rid of that and footy was a lot more fun when I was able to focus on everyone else, and not just yourself.

GC:Was there a moment in your younger days before you got drafted? You were nervous leading into the draft. You worried about your pace, but was there a moment or a person that changed your destiny?

KC:I had some great coaches. I still see Anthony Friebe, he walks along the Brighton Esplanade and lives not too far from me.

He was my under-12 coach then under-14 coach at Glenelg. The first day I went out to training, I must have had your Glenelg kit on and I had my socks pulled up, jumper tucked in and I looked like full Glenelg kit and he just looked at me and he said, ‘You are a footballer’.

I remember that – just a little boost you get along the way.

I had some great coaches at Sacred Heart (College) and progressed through to having two of the best at AFL level.

Probably, to be fair, three – Walshy (Phil Walsh) was the best coach I’ve ever had, so he was probably the most influential football figure in my career. Him and Mark Williams together, just a brilliant combination.

And then I was really fortunate to have Kenny (Hinkley) for the back half of my career, which was probably the most fun, and he was the one who was able to get that real sort of team-first aspect and focus out of me.

Ken Hinkley holds up four fingers and Kane Cornes at Adelaide Oval. Picture: Sarah Reed

GC: I don’t associate Ken Hinkley and fun, he doesn’t give that impression.

KC: No, but he plays fun. He plays a fun brand of footy or I think, anyway. And he particularly did in 2013. You have to remember we went through some dark times and, you know, you’re on radio at the time and it’s just a horrible time to be a Port Adelaide supporter and a player.

And you didn’t know if we were going to survive and didn’t know if they could afford to pay their players.

Kane Cornes against Richmond at the Adelaide Oval in 2015. Picture: Calum Robertson

There was presidents getting sacked, coaches going, players leaving. It was a nightmare. So you’d gone from that to Ken Hinkley coming in and winning a final in 2013, from nowhere, playing this fun footy where we were fit, young and storming home from behind in big games. It was great.

So to play a final on the MCG again was something I never thought would happen.

And then, one kick away from a grand final – one that we kicked 3.9 in the first quarter of that 2014 prelim.

We probably should have had another premiership, I reckon, that’s the one for me that got away, against Hawthorn we had our opportunities and weren’t able to do it but never take that for granted what he was able to do for the last two years of my career.

GC: The anxiety and the depression you had to deal with when you were a player, can you share that?

KC: I was thinking about it on the way here, what a big support you were at that time. Things were going so well. It was 2005 and we had just won a premiership.

I was engaged to Lucy, everything was great. Footy was flying, I was playing well and a regular in the team. I started to think something was wrong in my head.

So I went and got all these brain scans because I thought I had brain cancer – and I’ve got a bit of health anxiety.

I kept going to (Port Adelaide doctor) Dr Barnes. He was just such a support. He said ‘I don’t reckon it’s brain cancer – you’re pretty fit, you’re playing footy. But if you want, I’ll send you in for a brain scan and we’ll do a proper head X-ray and an MRI’. So we got all these tests done and everything was fine.

After all that he looked at me and said: “You’re physically fine, what I think you’re dealing with is mental.”

Then I thought I was going insane, so it was hard. It was a probably 12 months of trying to work out what was going on inside my head and the lack of sleep.

Ken Hinkley at a press conference with Kane Cornes as he announces he will retire after his 300th game. Picture: Sarah Reed

GC:You got to 300 games. Did you limp to 300 games?

KC: (laughing) Well, that’s the perception of it. Once again, I don’t need to justify my performance. But I finished third in the best and fairest the previous year. Form wasn’t an issue, my body was fine.

I was still winning all the 2km time trials the pre-season of the year I retired. But it was probably that self-doubt a little bit that forced into the retirement, and a lack of confidence of what I was going to after footy.

I had no idea, all I wanted to do since I was five was be an AFL footballer. (I thought) maybe the media, there may be six full-time jobs for someone like me in Adelaide in the media.

So the fire brigade stuff came up. I had some friends who were in it, they spoke really highly of it. But to do it, you had to go (immediately), the intake was then, it was in the middle of the season. There was no guarantee you were going to get in down the line. Ideally you would have deferred it, but you couldn’t. In hindsight, I would have waited and finished out the season.

Kane Cornes with SAMFS Chief Fire Officer Greg Crossman as he graduates into the Metropolitan Fire Service. Picture: Mike Burton

GC:How hard was the fire brigade induction process?

KC: It was quite enjoyable. I quite enjoyed the challenge of that. So getting in the physical stuff was fine because I was playing footy.

Although the claustrophobia and learning how to wear the breathing (apparatuses) was just a bit uncomfortable and the heights and things like that, you have to pass those tests.

And then the written stuff – I hadn’t been to school since 2000, so getting back into that was probably a good challenge.

GC: Is it true, though, that at school Lucy used to do most of your homework.

KC: Yeah – and she only got me at 64 (TER) in Year 12, so I always tell her she performed poorly for my Year 12 (laughing).

But I enjoyed the fire brigade (the process of) getting in. Once I got in, I probably knew it wasn’t the place I was going to stay long term.

GC:You didn’t enjoy it and you didn’t feel how important the role was?

KC: No, well you know how important the role is when there’s a burning building and you’re the ones who have to stop it. That happens rarely but, when it does, you want someone you can trust.

And, there’s some great people in there.

I met some great people but it just wasn’t (for me). I remember being in there, because there’s a fair amount of sitting around, thinking I would just love to be in the media.

I was doing a little bit of media stuff with Crocmedia. I’d just love to have a full-time opportunity and I almost dreamt my way into that. I was sending emails to people – ‘is there an opportunity here?’. I was doing some stuff at FIVEAA and was writing a column for The Advertiser.

So I had my foot in the door in a number of places and I was just hoping for that one opportunity.

GC: What was the opportunity?

KC: I was doing a little TV show called FootySA through Crocmedia, which was broadcast on Channel 9 here in Adelaide.

Hutchy was on it – Craig Hutchison. After one of the episodes, he just pulled me into his office and said: “What do you want to do? Do really want to do the fireman stuff forever, or do you want an opportunity in the media?

I think you present well, you’ve got a strong opinion and I think we’ve got enough opportunities to give you a full-time role, this is what it would look like.”

And I just said ‘yes’ then and there and then went about the exit from the fire brigade, which was met with a fair amount of criticism. But that’s OK. I think people change jobs from time to time. It was just that mine was little bit more high profile.

Kane Cornes at the SEN studio. Picture Sarah Reed

GC:You get a lot of criticism – the “failed fireman”. How do you deal with it?

KC: I kind of laugh – there’s a lack of originality. It was nearly 10 years ago and still probably daily someone would mention it. So now it’s fine.

And you can sort of lean into it and be self-deprecating with it – because, yeah, I wasn’t really suited to the role and it wasn’t for me.

And now I know I’m fortunate to be where I want to be. It’s taken a bit of hard work to get there but I’m thankful for the opportunities I’ve got now.

GC: Do you set out to be a pain in the neck?

KC:(laughing) Do you think I am?

GC:Well, if I’m honest, I don’t disagree with too much you say. I probably just wouldn’t say it.

KC:Well, I don’t know, I remember driving home listening to you and KG (Ken Cunningham) and that was must-listen radio – four o’clock, on the dot, turn it on.

And I reckon you were just as strong as me, if not stronger. Like the way you got stuck into the soccer fans and that blew up, the way you were negative towards Port Adelaide and not afraid to give you thoughts on that. I loved it.

And I was like, yeah, I don’t always agree, but, gee, I wasn’t turning off the radio. I want to listen to debate.

If you’re watching the footy with 10 mates, you’re not always going to have the same opinion as all of them. I’m happy for anyone to ring up, as you were, and have their opinion. I’ll let them talk. If I think they’re a dickhead, I’ll tell them. If I agree with them, I’ll tell them. If I disagree, we’ll argue and I’ll have my points.

Same on that Footy Classified set – it’s ruthless. Caroline Wilson will tear you to shreds if you’re not prepared. Hutchy will try to make you look silly because he knows that’s good TV. That’s the kind of media I want to listen to.

GC: The Footy Show was a lot of fun, wasn’t it? Footy blokes, talking footy and taking the mickey out of each other.

KC: It was the funnest thing I’ve done so far. We would arrive on a Sunday morning at 7am and go to make-up.

And then the memories of production meetings getting hijacked by Billy (Brownless) – Billy’s telling a story from what happened on the weekend, or we’re taking the mickey out of Tony Jones.

What was on camera, translated off camera. We had a good bond. So it was really hard to leave a show that just worked so well. But I had eight years there and the opportunity at Channel 7, I think, most people would have taken.

GC: Do you realise how big an opportunity it is? I mean, even you’re doing marquee games of footy.

KC: Yeah, it’s a little bit daunting. But I think, like everything, I’ve sort of imagined what the ideal situation would look like ever since I was a kid.

I’ve always written my goals down at the start of every year, dating right back to when I was playing footy and I’ve even found some from Year 12 at school.

One of the goals was to be in this position, so now it’s up to me to make the most of it.

GC: You’ve got three sons. Eddy is already doing his own podcasts and programs, and Sonny and Raff – what advice do you give? Do they see you as a normal dad?

KC: Yeah, I think so. Sometimes you feel guilty because you’re away a little bit and you think, ‘I’d love to be home on weekends and seeing their footy’ and all that. I think we make up for that in the off-season.

I’ve always been quite present with them but they’re just thankful for the childhood they’ve had. It’s been very calm.

It’s been peaceful for them. Lucy and I get along like a house on fire. There’s never been any arguments.

It’s an environment where we’ve had a lot of fun. We’ve been fortunate enough to travel most years and have spent a lot of time together. We’re pretty lucky with the three kids they’ve turned out to be.

GC: So what can we expect in your footy broadcasts? Are you going to be baiting people with your contrarian opinions?

KC: No, I don’t think so. I’ve never done games on TV before. I’ve done them a lot on radio, obviously.

I think it’s quite a skill to be good on TV, particularly on Channel 7, where you take the ad break after a goal. So you’ve got to really speak in 10, 15-second sound bites and be quite effective with your words.

And then you’ve got a Luke Hodge or someone alongside of you, so how do you get the best out of him?

How do we complement each other? What’s the chemistry like? That’s what I’m looking forward to.

But I mean, it’s the biggest games with the biggest audience on Seven. Foxtel do an amazing job but the facts are most people watch on Seven because it’s free and it does appeal to the non-full-on footy person as well.

So you need to sort of tailor your commentary in that respect. It won’t be perfect at the start but hopefully by the end of the season I’ve got it down.

GC: Good luck. I hope you don’t upset too many people.

KC: (laughing) Why? We’ve got thick skin.

GC: You give the family name a bad wrap. Kane, thank you.

KC: I enjoyed it. Good to catch up.

Originally published as Exclusive interview: Aussie rules legend Graham Cornes goes one-on-one with AFL champion son turned media personality Kane Cornes