‘Went too far’: Photo sledge as feuding AFL greats backflip

For all of thirty seconds there was a ceasefire in one of the AFL’s fieriest feuds, but a photo from the weekend has provided another twist.

Dale Thomas and Kane Cornes had a ceasefire for all of thirty seconds before the Collingwood great on Tuesday night went on the attack.

Previously bitter rivals in the footy media landscape, the odd couple have been put side by side on Channel 7’s new Agenda Setters program and addressed their long-running feud on Tuesday night’s show.

The AFL free-to-air broadcast rights holder has undergone one of the biggest shake-ups in recent memory with Cornes’ arrival at the network headlining a number of big-name recruits.

Thomas said during the show it was “no real surprise we don’t get on”.

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Even after Cornes’ high-profile defection from Channel 9, Thomas continued to criticise his new colleague in public.

The feud has taken another twist with the pair appearing to reach an understanding when discussing their beef — only for Thomas to have another crack at Cornes at the end of the show.

Cornes in 2023 labelled Thomas “lazy” and said he only worked “part-time”, claiming “Daisy” had copied his comments when he said Richmond’s Tim Taranto did not “influence games”.

He said media commentary from Thomas and former Collingwood coach Tony Shaw was “embarrassing” at the time, saying their employers should ask for their money back.

Left to right: Caroline Wilson, Dale Thomas, Kane Cornes and Luke Dodge. Photo: 7AFL, X.

Thomas in September responded to Cornes with venom, calling the former Footy Show star a “f***head” during a public speaking gig.

Thomas explained his version of the events on Tuesday when asked by Channel 7 co-host Caroline Wilson.

“I’m happy to have people go me and take the mickey out of me for anything,” the former Carlton player said.

“But the preparation side of things and ‘getting up early and the employer should be getting money back’, I thought was too far. I said some things over pre-season that didn’t really help that. But there’s no real surprise that we don’t get on.”

Cornes conceded he was a “little bit tough”.

“Watching that back there, I was a little bit harsh,” Cornes said.

“My thought was, I would say something on a Sunday or Monday and then on Wednesday, the Triple M guys would sort of mock what I’d said and I got to a point where I’d just had enough.

“I said, I’ve had enough of this. I’m going to call it out.”

Thomas said the scoreline was 2-0 in his favour after the segment.

Dale Thomas and Jack Ginnivan at the SCG. Photo: Hawthorn, X.

Kane Cornes and his man Jack Ginnivan. Photo: Hawthorn, Instagram.

Agenda Setters co-host Luke Hodge joked it was 3-0 in Thomas’ favour after Thomas turned on Cornes again at the end of the show.

“I’m having a go at yourself Kane,” he said, showing a photo of Cornes shaking hands with Hawthorn forward Jack Ginnivan after the club’s opening round win over the Swans at the SCG on Friday.

Cornes famously criticised Ginnivan early in his career for antics on the football field when he was with Collingwood.

The photo of Cornes speaking behind the scenes with Ginnivan — as shared on Hawthorn’s social media channels — was not lost on Thomas.

“Have a look at this. This is post-match in the rooms and you’re shaking hands and buttering up Jack Ginnivan,” Thomas said.

“You bleached your hair, you nearly ended the kid’s career before it started.”

Cornes said they can keep score of their exchanges for the rest of the year.

Cornes’ first appearance on Monday’s debut episode of Agenda Setters was also hot and cold with St Kilda legend Nick Riewoldt telling the Port Adelaide premiership-winner his comments about Nick Daicos after the Pies’ Opening Round loss to GWS were “your worst take of the year in Opening Round”.

Cornes had said Daicos had taken short cuts by chosing not to show up for the club’s opening pre-season training sessions in November.

Daicos appeared to struggle with cramp throughout the second half with Cornes criticising the club’s physical preparation.

Cornes has another six months to lock horns with his colleagues.

Originally published as ‘Went too far’: Photo sledge as feuding AFL greats backflip