2004 Premiership hero Chad Cornes has been inducted into the Port Adelaide Football Club Hall of Fame.
Cornes was elevated at the club’s Season Launch and Hall of Fame Event, among the first group of inductees since 2019.
Cornes and his brother Kane Cornes have now become only the second pair of brothers, behind Mark and Stephen Williams, to be included in the club’s Hall of Fame following Kane’s elevation four years ago.
Cornes and his brother Kane Cornes have now become only the second pair of brothers, behind Mark and Stephen Williams, to be included in the club’s Hall of Fame following Kane’s elevation four years ago.
“It is the biggest honour in my career,” Chad Cornes said.
“I used to work at the gear shop when I first got drafted in 1998 and 1999. I’d have lunch under the wall where they had all the members of the Hall of Fame inductees and I used to look up at that and imagine being that good that you could be in the Port Adelaide Hall of Fame with names like that.
“When Kane got in a couple of years ago, I sort of hoped one day I might get in. I feel very grateful, so lucky, so fortunate to play at this football club, to be accepted at this football club, and to be part of this (Hall of Fame) group means so much to me and my family.”
After 20 years of service to the club - including 13 as a player and seven as a coach – Chad Cornes’ recognition is richly deserved.
Having been drafted by the club in 1997, Cornes fast became a fan favourite for his consistency, passion and willingness to put his body on the line.
He went from strong-marking key forward to All-Australian and premiership-winning centre-half-back at the start of 2004, winning a second All-Australian blazer in 2007.
Cornes left Port Adelaide at the end of 2011 after 239 games and 175 goals, shifting to start-up club Greater Western Sydney where he finished his playing career and moved into coaching.
His return in 2016 to coach Port Adelaide’s SANFL side saw the club make the 2017 Grand Final, losing by the narrowest of margins in a one-point defeat to Sturt.
Cornes has since carried out the roles of forwards development coach, defence coach and in 2023, forwards coach.
In a video tribute, former captain Dom Cassisi described Cornes’ impact on the club as a player and coach as “profound”, saying there was no more worthy person to be included in the club’s Hall of Fame.
“Chad just wanted to win. He was passionate about the Port Adelaide Football Club being the best it could be and he was a big reason we had so much success in that period he was (playing) here,” Cassisi said of his premiership teammate.
“His versatility as a player was ahead of its time; he was a dominant forward… and when he made that transition down back he just adapted so well and he was always going to because he was a sponge – he wanted to learn and do whatever it took to be great in that role.
“For someone who came from a family that had a Crows background, he brought the passion to the Showdown and their supporters hated him, our supporters loved him and it added to the rivalry.
“He set that tone, he was the one who got us into the right headspace to go into battle and he led the way every week for us to be in that zone.”
Chad Cornes
Playing career
Games: 239 (AFL) 1998-2011 (16 at GWS 2012-2013)
Goals: 175 AFL goals
AFL Premiership player (2004)
AFL pre-season Premiership player (2001, 2002)
All-Australian (2004, 2007)
Port Adelaide best finals player (2005)
Coaches’ Award - Most improved (2002)
AFL Player life member (2006)
Coaching
GWS Giants playing assistant coach (2012-2013)
GWS Giants defence coach (2013-2015)
Port Adelaide SANFL coach (2016-2017)
Port Adelaide AFL forward development coach (2018-2021)
Port Adelaide AFL defence coach (2022)
Port Adelaide AFL forwards coach (2023-current)
