By Jake Niall
Former Port Adelaide premiership star Chad Cornes will not be part of the club’s coaching panel under new coach Josh Carr.
Port Adelaide confirmed on Tuesday that Cornes, a 2004 premiership star from the famed South Australian football family, would not continue as a member of the club’s coaching panel in 2026.
Port Adelaide great and outgoing assistant coach Chad Cornes.Credit: AFL Photos
The exit of Cornes, whose brother Kane also played in the Power’s 2004 flag and has become a noted media commentator, means that Port Adelaide will have vacancies for at least two coaches, given that senior coach Ken Hinkley’s time finishes at the end of this season when Carr, a premiership teammate of Cornes, takes over.
Chad Cornes has been part of Hinkley’s coaching panel since the 2016 season, making this his 10th season under the departing senior coach. He is the forwards coach in 2025.
Kane and Chad Cornes in their time as Power teammates in 2003.Credit: Sebastian Costanzo
Port have resisted calls for Carr to be given the senior position earlier than the arranged handover at season’s end, when Hinkley will finish after 13 seasons as head coach.
Port Adelaide general manager of football Chris Davies said the club wanted to advise Cornes as early as possible, given his tenure at the club.
“Chad has been an outstanding servant of our club as a premiership player, as a coach within our
program since returning at the end of 2015, and of course as a member of our hall of fame,” Davies said.
“Given his tenure at the club, we wanted to provide Chad with clarity as early as possible so he has
maximum time to consider his future.”
In an arrangement with the AFL Coaches Association, clubs are asked to inform assistant coaches by
August 1 if they will be contracted for the following season.
‘Proudest achievement’: AFLW star steps down as captain
AAP
North Melbourne AFLW premiership captain Emma Kearney has stepped aside to allow new leaders to guide the Kangaroos.
Having led the Kangaroos since their first season in 2019, Kearney has been a star of the competition and one of its finest leaders.
North Melbourne AFLW coach Darren Crocker and premiership captain Emma Kearney at the club’s recent celebration against the Western Bulldogs.Credit: AFL Photos
The 35-year-old played a crucial role in North’s drought-breaking grand-final win last year, helping set the tone for the commanding victory over the Brisbane Lions early in the contest.
Remarkably, Kearney had missed six games of last season due to a hamstring injury and only returned for the preliminary final.
In a letter to Kangaroos members, the six-time All-Australian detailed her decision to stand down as captain.
“It’s been quite a journey, so this decision is one I’ve given time and deep thought to,” she wrote.
“Now that I’m in the twilight years of my footy career, I feel the time is right for both me and the team if I step aside and allow some new voices to lead the group moving forward.
“I let my teammates know of my decision over the weekend, and as I have been writing this letter over the past few days, it’s filled me with so many emotions, but above all, an overwhelming sense of pride and gratitude.
“Leading this team has truly been one of the proudest achievements of my life.
“To have been given the opportunity to help build something from the ground up, to guide such a talented group of players, and to have last year stood on the dais and held up that premiership cup alongside ‘Crock’ (coach Darren Crocker), has been an absolute privilege.”
North will begin their premiership defence with an away trip to Geelong on August 16.
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