Kane Cornes calls out Alastair Clarkson over post-game comments

Kane Cornes has taken aim at AFL coach Alastair Clarkson over remarks he made post-game after his side was blown off the park.

Kane Cornes vs Alastair Clarkson

Kane Cornes has taken aim at North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson over his post-game comments on Saturday night.

The former Port Adelaide star turned media personality didn’t pull any punches as he blasted the mastermind coach.

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Clarkson’s troops were comprehensively blown off the park at the MCG on Saturday night, but in his post-game press conference the coach was quick to praise his troops.

“There were things about our game – I thought we played better tonight than we’ve played in the last two weeks,” Clarkson said.

“Usually when you lose a game by 15 goals you haven’t been able to get the ball inside 50 and you have been smashed in clearances. We competed in different areas of the game really, really well.”

Cornes simply couldn’t believe what he’d heard come out of the four-time premiership winning coach’s mouth.

On Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show, Cornes took the gloves off and blasted the remarks with damning footage supporting his argument.

Clarko was watching a different game. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“He was watching a different game to me, Alastair Clarkson,” Cornes said.

“The first five minutes in this game was as bad a football as you are ever going to see. I want to highlight the lack of effort and the fact that they are witches hats.

“This is Cam Zurhaar who did a lot of talking in the off season. How is this for a chase, three minutes into the game and goes with the one hand.

“This is disgraceful vision here. (Nick) Larkey here so senior players, easily outmarked from Steven May.

“They then get the switch and they’re all guarding space. Watch Fritsch here who has come up and watch Gawn here.

“The amount of players they both run past, we’re three minutes into the game give me some effort North Melbourne. It’s not talent, it’s all effort.

“Fritsch who was in the backline has run past six North Melbourne opponents bobs up and kicks the goal.

Vision exposes Clarko’s remarks.

“The ease of how this comes through the front of the stoppage, this is training stuff – first day back of pre-season.

“Watch (Christian) Petracca exploding through the stoppage, (Kysaiah) Pickett is doing the same. (Griffin) Logue is sitting way off his opponent and there is an easy uncontested mark inside 50. All within the first four minutes of the game.

“(Jaidyn) Stephenson here, what sort of tackle is that? That is embarrassing.

“We’ll watch (Aidan) Corr who signed a five-year contract and he just falls over. This is uncompetitive stuff.

“Clarkson reckons their performance was better, he’s watching a different game. The first seven minutes this game is over.

“Here’s the Norm Smith Medalist, top of the goalsquare and nobody goes anywhere near him.

“The victory lap was long when they signed Alastair Clarkson. It has quickly finished.

“Honestly, it is embarrassing and they need to be better than that. That is not talent. That is effort in the first five minutes of the game.”

"The first five minutes in this game was as bad football as you are ever going to see."@kanecornes on the 'disgraceful' vision that shows how far off the pace from the start the Kangaroos were in their loss to Melbourne. #9AFLSFS | @Channel9pic.twitter.com/VXGKPQa2uJ

— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) April 30, 2023

North were dealt a cruel blow in the opening quarter as the Demons ran riot when forward Charlie Comben suffered a horrific broken leg.

The injury, which was so graphic that broadcasters opted against showing replays, could reportedly be heard around the ground according to spectators on social media.

Play stopped for several minutes with players from both teams running over to offer their support, with Melbourne’s Jake Lever and Steven May visibly disturbed by what they had just witnessed.

Melbourne secured a comfortable 90-point victory to launch themselves to the top of the AFL ladder for the time being.

Fritsch led the way in front of goal with four majors. Clayton Oliver and Petracca ran riot all night long, combining for 72 disposals and 10 clearances. Petracca added three goals in his best outing so far this season.

Originally published as Kane Cornes calls out Alastair Clarkson over post-game comments