Mark Robinson: Kane Cornes’ comments ‘crossed the line’, says AFLPA boss Paul Marsh

Kane Cornes has come under fire for questioning Zak Butters for not playing through injuries, which AFL Players’ Association CEO Paul Marsh said could have resembled Christian Petracca’s.

AFL Players’ Association boss Paul Marsh has lashed out at Kane Cornes’ commentary over the Zak Butters injury, labelling it “irresponsible” and “crossing the line”.

Cornes intimated on Sunday that the injured Butters was soft for not playing out the match on Thursday night. The Port Adelaide vice-captain suffered a rib injury during the second quarter and was subbed out of the game at half-time.

Butters was taken to hospital for scans after the match and the club reported on Sunday that he had suffered bruised ribs and avoided a fracture or injury to his internal organ.

Marsh cited Christian Petracca’s serious injury and Melbourne’s decision to put him back on the field as examples of where conservatism was needed.

He said the game did not need commentators – and former players in particular – accusing players of being “soft” for not returning to the field after being injured.

Zak Butters after being subbed out in the Power’s clash with Hawthorn. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“Zak was voted the AFLPA’s most courageous player – by the players – and he (Cornes) went on TV on Sunday and said basically he was soft and he shouldn’t have gone off (the field),’’ Marsh said. “That crossed the line in my view.

“My issue is the game takes too many chances with player health and safety.”

The outspoken Cornes said he was surprised Butters “wanted to be subbed or they subbed him out”.

“I think it’s a real challenge for Butters now – a lot of players are playing sore at this time of the year,” Cornes said. “I think he had to push through that – his team needed him.

“He has to really grit his teeth this week, yes it’s going to be sore. He can’t do any damage to it; it’s just putting up with the pain, and he needs a huge performance on Friday to respond.”

Marsh said the bigger picture was paramount with player injuries and stressed “what potentially could’ve happened” if Petracca was hit again after returning to the field.

“We have to take a step back and consider: Are we just going to continually put players back on the field in the hope that they might be OK, or are we going to take a more conservative approach?” Marsh asked.

“One of the barriers to that is that when there’s commentary like this – that a player is soft for not going back on the field, and this is a player who any right-minded person would not think is soft … I think it’s irresponsible.

“It makes it a harder for players to make decisions that are in their own health and safety interest when they are getting whacked for this, and he (Cornes) did the same thing to (Essendon’s) Nik Cox a couple of weeks ago, when Cox was ruled out by the doctors.”

Cox was subbed out with concussion during the Bombers’ match with Gold Coast at Marvel Stadium, which prompted Cornes to query whether Cox could cope with AFL footy.

Butters avoided serious injury in the clash but was still taken to hospital. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“If you can’t cop a hit like this, which is going to happen once a game … maybe your make-up isn’t to play AFL football,’’ Cornes said at the time.

“Where’s the concussion? If you can’t absorb a hit like that … if you’re not going to be able to cop that hit, regardless of whether it’s a concussion or you’re more prone to concussion … maybe your body is not made for it.”

AFL commentator Garry Lyon was critical of Cornes’ evaluation.

“That is dangerous and irresponsible commentary,” Lyon said. “That is brain-shaming.’’

Marsh stressed that Cox was ruled out by club medicos.

“And he (Cornes) questioned whether he was tough enough to play AFL footy … we can’t have that,’’ Marsh said.

“We’ve come out of an era where players have routinely gone back on the field with concussion and the AFLPA deals with stuff at the back-end, where we’ve got hundreds of players we’re helping with our injury and hardship fund, and we are changing the culture around this. We need to keep that going and it’s about injuries more broadly.

“Let’s not take risks with these players where they might be at risk of a more serious injury.

“Very recently we had a player nearly die as a result of an on-field injury and yet we are still seeing media comments like this that are not only questioning players’ courage, but also the judgement of players and doctors. The whole industry, including the media, needs more perspective when we talk about and respond to player injuries.’’