PORT ADELAIDE assistant coach Chad Cornes has described as a “well-rounded game from all lines” Saturday’s win over the Western Bulldogs.
Led by a dominant showing in the midfield and five goals to Mitch Georgiades, the Power beat the Bulldogs by 48 points at Adelaide Oval.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Cornes noted the build up to the game and the spirit the group brought.
He also discussed Georgiades’s ban for striking, who could replace him in the side, and the strong competition between the club’s rucks.
Chad Cornes on the club accepting the one-match ban to Mitch Georgiades:
“I don't have anything to do with accepting the decision but I think it's pretty clear cut when you do one of those off the ball incidents - I'm not sure there's an argument for it. (It’s) disappointing, obviously, with the form he's in. He's been a highlight for us this year, so he'll be a big loss.”
Chad Cornes on whether Charlie Dixon is the natural replacement having completed his three-match ban:
“There's obviously an opening. Charlie's trained really, really well, for three weeks, his body looks in really good condition. He's dropped a bit of weight, he's moving really well so that'll be a discussion for match committee later in the week. But there's a chance.
“He's been in really, really good spirits around the place. (He’s), training really well. His body looks great so he's had that opportunity for three weeks to work really hard in the gym, and out on the track and he's put himself in a really strong position now.”
Chad Cornes on Saturday’s win against the Western Bulldogs:
“It was good to say all of our game sort of gelled together. Obviously, it started in the midfield. We were dominant in the midfield. I thought the defenders were brilliant in the way they stood up and we got our ball movement going to the level that we know we can, so it was a real well-rounded game from all lines.”
Chad Cornes on how the week leading into the match panned out:
“It was a win against St Kilda a week (before) that we needed. But as we built into the week,I thought the connection side of things, that was a real focus going into this game, playing really connected team, Connor led the way with some of the meetings he conducted with the group earlier in the week. We showed our sort of spirit and the way we got around each other after good team acts, the way we celebrated goals together, it looked like a really connected team that was playing for each other, which was great.”
Chad Cornes on playing the Gold Coast:
“(They’re) really strong at home. Dimma (Damien Hardwick) obviously was pretty fired up post-game so I expect a real response from them. They've got stars all over the ground, but in particular, their defence is really good - one of the best intercepting defences in the AFL, if not the best. We'll have our work cut out for us but if we bring that spirit that we spoke about previously, you always give yourself a chance, especially on the road. It's a road trip we really look forward to.”
Chad Cornes on the exchange captured by cameras between coach Ken Hinkley and midfielder Zak Butters on the bench, just before half time on Saturday:
“(I) love it. (Zak) he just said before they were they were laughing about it two minutes later.(Zak’s) very, very passionate in-game. Kenny was just trying to calm him down. And yeah, I love seeing that from both of these guys. They've got a brilliant relationship so those conversations happen quite a bit between those two.”
Chad Cornes on competition between the club’s rucks Jordon Sweet, Dante Visentini and Ivan Soldo:
“There's the three of them all performing pretty well. Obviously, Ivan's been off for a couple but Dante's last two games in the Magpies have been outstanding and Sweet his role on the weekend was really strong against his former side. There's some great competition amongst those three, which is good.”
