Kane Cornes and Jeff Kennett go head-to-head over Hawthorn’s future

AFL icons Kane Cornes and Jeff Kennett butted heads over the future of Hawthorn after the latter claimed the club is “in the best position it has ever been”.

Kane Cornes and Jeff Kennett got into a heated argument. Picture: Getty Images

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett and AFL premiership winner Kane Cornes didn’t see eye-to-eye on the former’s claim the Hawks are “in the best position it has ever been”.

Kennett announced his succession plan in a letter to Hawks members on Thursday night, indicating he hopes to have the ideal candidate to replace him as club president secured by July next year.

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It represents somewhat of a surprise, given Kennett’s final term as president is due to conclude at the end of 2023.

Some AFL fans think it’s a sign all is not well at Hawthorn, given the messy transition from four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson to Sam Mitchell as well as the club’s absence from the finals series for the third consecutive season.

However, Kennett was quick to quash such talk, insisting the club couldn’t be in a better state.

“The club is in the best condition it has ever been, its membership is the second highest it’s ever been, we’ve got all our sponsors lined up for the future, we’re building Dingley, we’ve got our AFL license,” Kennett told SEN Captain’s Run.

“With the exception of finalising the issues around Tasmania, the club is in the best position it has ever been.”

Cornes disagreed with Kennett’s belief Hawthorn were in perfect shape, pointing out how the Victorian outfit are paying Clarkson “$900,000 to have a holiday in the U.S.” and how Mitchell was thrust into the coaching hot seat a year earlier than expected.

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett announced the succession plan once he reaches the end of his term. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Kennett retorted: “Your interpretation is incorrect. Your facts are right. We had hoped Clarko would coach next year, he decided not to and because he’d been with us for 17 years and won us four premierships we agreed to play him for one year’s salary.

“The fact that the club is in such a strong position, we can afford to do that and this year we are still going to record a small surplus on our football operations, which after two years of Covid is a pretty good place to be.”

Cornes asked the question whether Kennett could theoretically remain as club president until the end of 2023, to which the former Victorian Premier responded: “Without a doubt.”

Kennett added: “The club has got through that period (Covid) in a very strong position, and I think the time is right for me to go on and do other things.”

The former Port Adelaide star again didn’t see eye-to-eye, admitting the Hawks “have been on top and the envy of the whole competition, but I disagree that you’re on top.”

Given Hawks’ on-field woes in the past three seasons, Kennett agreed they hadn’t been on top in terms of their ladder position, but felt his club were the envy of every team off the field.

“We’re on top in everything else in terms of financial position, we’re on top of our sponsors, we’re on top of our membership, we’re on top of Dingley,” Kennett said.

“We’ve got so many things going on at Hawthorn.”

As a crucial season for Hawthorn looms in 2022, Kennett will be hoping new coach Sam Mitchell can replicate the clubs’ off-field success with their on-field performance.

Kane Cornes didn’t agree with Kennett’s belief that Hawthorn were in the best shape they’d ever been in. Picture: Tricia Watkinson