It was an emotional week at Alberton, as club legend Chad Cornes said ‘goodbye’ as he announced that his stellar career with the Power would end after 239 games following the Round 20 game against the Magpies.
Cornes, the son of SANFL great Graham and brother to three-time John Cahill Medallist Kane Cornes, thanked his legion of fans for all the support that they have given him across the course of his career.
Through the Lens: Chad’s Career in Photos
The Power made two forced changed to side announced on Thursday, losing both Logan and Schulz to injury, before they were forced to make two more with both Chaplin and Thomas also curtailed by injury. Broadbent, Daniel Stewart, Pittard and Jacobs were selected to play against the Pies.
In a further late change, Rodan was omitted from the final side on the Saturday evening, replaced by Jason Davenport, who started the game as the sub, joined on the bench by Salopek, Banner and O’Shea.
Lobbe won the first tap and the Power the first clearance, but a free across half-back to Collingwood saw them move the ball forward early, and then another saw them into the forward 50 for the first time. An errant kick by Jolly went straight across the face, but stayed in the field of play, and whilst Port cleared the 50 Collingwood kicked the first goal through Beams.
More clever work by Beams across half-forward set up Blair perfectly, and he kicked the second of the game.
Some more Magpie brilliance saw Thomas run harder, faster, and with greater intensity to receive the ball inside 50, then gift the ball to Brown for the goal.
The run and spread when a Collingwood player gets the ball is extraordinary - someone gets it and quite literally every other play is on their bikes immediately to provide an option. It’s immediately noticeable, with Swan kicking their fourth for the term.
Some awful defensive errors saw the Power turn the ball over each and every time they managed to get their hands on it, with Brown eventually earning a free kick and booting another goal.
Some brilliant roving in the wet saw Blair sweep onto a loose ball, pick it up, dodge around an opponent, and kick another late in the term.
The Power finally got on the scoreboard when a rushed behind broke their duck late in the term.
QUARTER TIME: 0.1.1 to 6.5.41. Possessions: Lobbe 8, Boak and Ebert 7, Banner 6.
Scary stats in favour of Collingwood at quarter time - 32 tackles to 11, 108 to 73 disposals, 43-39 contested possessions (which is reasonably tight), and 18-10 inside 50s.
The second term started as the last ended - the Pies won the ball, cleared the ball, got it forward, and Blair kicked a goal.
Collingwood’s brilliance was unquestionable - they kicked to space so players could run onto the ball, with Krakouer kicking another goal.
Collingwood ran so hard, so well, with Beams kicking another. They won the clearance, and Krakouer narrowly missed his second, hitting the post, but Swan soon kicked another.
Untouched from the back pocket to the forward pocket, Davis started a piece of play that saw Cloke kick another goal as Pittard was subbed out of the game for Davenport after pulling up sore as another rushed behind saw the Power’s score double in a disappointing display to farewell Chad Cornes, with Cloke kicking another towards the end of the second term.
Finally, the Power got a fast break with Stewart marking strongly, and kicking truly, to register the first goal for the side for the game in the shadows of half time.
HALF TIME: 1.2.8 to 12.12.84. Goal: D Stewart. Possessions: Boak 18, Cassisi 14, K Cornes and Salter 11.
The players formed a tight huddle in the middle of AAMI as the Collingwood players ran to their positions, with a determination to show some spirit in the second half clear.
Unfortunately, it was more of the same - while the Power won the clearance, Collingwood swept it forward and a kick off the ground fell into the hands of Rounds, who kicked truly.
In a hilarious moment, 4 umpires gathered together to determine whether or not a kick on goal from Pendlebury had gone through for a goal or been touched. In the end, the ball was bizarrely bounced at the top of the square as no one could quite be certain.
Some brilliant defensive pressure from Cloke saw him earn a free for holding the ball, and work it around the body from the boundary for a goal.
A crunching hip-and-shoulder on Gray flattened the Power player, but Gray was soon up and going once more.
A great mark running with the flight to Banner saw him take a gutsy grab - he went back and nailed the goal, making it 2 goals to 1 for the quarter Collingwood’s way, and only 9-7 inside 50s for the quarter in a much more even term.
Krakouer soon booted his second goal for the evening as the quarter headed toward its end. The Magpies charged forward once more, with Swan allowing Jolly to mark easily, and kick another goal.
THREE QUARTER TIME: 2.2.14 to 16.16.112. Goals: D Stewart, Banner. Possessions: Boak 25, Cassisi 20, Banner and Pearce 17, Hartlett 16.
A much more encouraging start to the term ensued, with Banner booting the first goal of the term. But it wasn’t long before Beams got another for Collingwood, then Sidebottom made it over 100 point margin, as Pendlebury kicked another to stretch it further still.
Swan then kicked another with another disposal as he absolutely racked them up in the middle, then Fasolo stretched the margin over 120 points after earning a free.
Didak hit up another Collingwood player, with Ball receiving the handball to run into goal unimpeded. Blair kicked his fifth soon afterwards.
It was a dark day in Port Adelaide’s history, with Chad Cornes’ final game coming in their greatest ever loss in the AFL.
FINAL SCORE: 3.3.21 to 23.21.159.
GOALS: Banner 2, D Stewart.
POSESSIONS: Boak 31, Pearce 26, Cassisi 23, Banner 21, Gray and Hartlett 20.
Crowd: 21,863
