PORT ADELAIDE premiership player Kane Cornes has been inducted into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame at Monday night’s Magarey Medal count.
Cornes played 300 games over a 15-year AFL career, becoming the first Port Adelaide player to reach that milestone in the AFL, and was a member of the club’s breakthrough premiership side in 2004.
The hard-running midfielder is one of the most decorated players of the AFL era at Alberton, having claimed four John Cahill Medals as the club’s best and fairest and earning two All-Australian blazers over the course of his career.
His four best and fairest gongs stands alongside Warren Tredrea as a club record at AFL level.
Taken with pick 20 in the 2000 AFL National Draft, Cornes debuted in 2001 and quickly established himself at Alberton, playing roles in the pre-season premierships of 2001 and 2002.
Cornes fast established a reputation as one of the game’s best run-with players. His most important performance coming in 2004 when tasked with nullifying the impact of the dangerous Simon Black in the premiership decider against Brisbane. A battle which was won on the biggest stage in football.
However, not just a dedicated defensive player, Cornes was equally adept at accumulating his fair share of the football as shutting out his direct opponent. In fact, the prolific ball-winner was Port’s leading disposal getter for a remarkable nine consecutive seasons between 2005 and 2013, while also finishing among the top five ball winners in the AFL on five occasions, including leading the competition in 2007.
He arrived at Port Adelaide as a “skinny” and “slow” draft prospect bearing the Cornes name usually associated with a deep dislike for all things Port, but remarkable determination and drive to be the best saw him leave Alberton a beloved and respected legend.
That status has been well known within the four walls at Port Adelaide and is now justifiably recognised with Hall of Fame standing from the State's footballing body.
Cornes was joined by Matthew Pavlich, Bruce Schultz and Darren Wilson as 2022 inductees into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.
He becomes Port Adelaide’s 40th inductee in the SA Football Hall of Fame and now joins fellow club champion brother Chad (2014) and long-time Port Adelaide adversary father Graham (2002) among the ranks.
Kane Cornes
Games: 300
Goals: 93
AFL Premiership player (2004)
AFL pre-season Premiership player (2001, 2002)
Port Adelaide Best and Fairest (2007, 2008, 2010, 2012)
Port Adelaide life member (2010)
Port Adelaide Hall of Fame (2019)
All-Australian (2005, 2007)
Peter Badcoe VC Medallist (2008)
State of Origin - Dream Team (2008)
Best First Year Player (2001)
Most Improved Player (2004)
Leading Disposals (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013)
AFL Leading Disposals (2007)
