Port Adelaide midfielder Kane Cornes has credited the Power’s pre-season with underpinning its improved competitiveness and in turn restoring his own enjoyment at playing in the AFL.
After a lead-in campaign in which its only losses were to the NAB Cup finalists, the Power opened its 2012 campaign with a fighting victory over St Kilda at AAMI Stadium.
While that was followed in Round 2 by a 25-point loss to Essendon at Etihad Stadium, Port Adelaide’s improvement in contested football has been widely noted.
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The Power is back on home turf on Saturday afternoon, facing an unbeaten Sydney from 1.40pm.
29-year-old Cornes - now in his 13th season at Alberton - says the team has benefited from having most players complete a searching pre-season.
“I think everyone down there made this pre-season a huge focus for us,” Cornes said on Thursday.
“A lot of guys didn’t get through last year’s pre-season. The main focus was just getting through it.
“We’ve all worked really hard and I think … that as a club and personally everyone’s improved.”
Cornes believes stronger and healthier bodies, a determination to compete throughout games and a commitment to make amends for last year’s club-worst 16th placing is driving the club and also serving as a motivating force.
“I think I’m back to really enjoying my footy again so I think with that comes the winning and the competitive nature of footy we’re playing,” Cornes said.
“So it’s a lot easier to play footy when the side’s competitive and everyone’s enjoying it. Certainly there’s a great feeling down there at the moment and I’m a part of that and I’m enjoying it.”
With 225 games under his belt, the 2004 premiership team member says he’s taking nothing for granted with his position in the Power line-up.
“… you know playing every game as if it’s your last has been a good focus for me and just really getting out there and enjoying it,” he said.
“And as I said when the side’s really competitive as we have been throughout the pre-season and the first two rounds, whilst last week was disappointing, it certainly makes it a lot easier to enjoy your footy.”
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Cornes spent much of his career as a run-with player and says he’s made adjustments in a bid to adapt to the varying role required of many modern players.
“Not a huge amount,” Cornes said when asked how much his role has evolved.
“I think across the competition the whole landscape has changed, you know, throughout the midfield and the forward lines. So I guess you’ve just got to move and adapt with that.
“I’m just a small part of that … just running through the midfield, a bit, forward a bit back. You know, it’s been good.”
Cornes spent Thursday afternoon with serving Australian Army soldiers undergoing rehabilitation at the Repatriation General Hospital at Daw Park.
He showed them the Peter Badcoe VC Medal which the Power and Swans players will vie for on Saturday.
Named in recognition of the last South Australian to win the Victoria Cross - the military’s highest honour for gallantry - the Peter Badcoe VC Medal is awarded to the player whose effort best matches the Anzac spirit, displaying skill, team-work, self-sacrifice and courage in adversity.
The medal is traditionally presented dring the Power’s Anzac Round fixture, but this year that game is a Showdown which has its own long-standing medal for the best afield.
Port Adelaide - with the support of the RSL - believes the Peter Badcoe VC Medal is worthy of its own recognition and accordingly it will be presented on Saturday as the club commemorates its Defence Recognition Month.
