Kane Cornes AFL Media Spotlight: Big-Name Recruit in Major Shake-Up

Chris Jones has at all times had an eye fixed for expertise and for cultivating relationships. As a cadet reporter with Chief Newspapers in Melbourne’s jap suburbs, he struck up a friendship with a younger native participant, Sam Mitchell. He launched Mitchell to his future spouse. Their respective careers blossomed, and Jones was final 12 months appointed director of community sport at Seven West Media, with a mandate to overtake its footy protection.

It’s a change that’s lengthy overdue. Seven’s protection has been fairly dire in recent times. The additions of Jason Bennett, Alister Nicholson and Matthew Hill – the latter arguably the most effective race-caller on this planet – have been all properly obtained. However all too typically, their colleagues have reverted to witless, mind-numbing prattle, to hyperventilating when nothing’s actually occurring, and to dozing when somebody pulls down the mark of the 12 months.

Manufacturing requirements have additionally slipped. As a result of they paid properly over the chances for the TV rights (and the previous AFL chief government Gil McLachlan performed them like a harp), the host broadcasters have needed to slash prices. It’s meant dizzying camerawork, administrators who’ve by no means embraced the idea of zooming out, and a solitary evaluation present that was, frankly, a little bit of a snoozer.

Jones was employed to handle that. One of many first issues he did was invite Kane Cornes over for dinner and lure him from Channel 9. An argument may very well be made that Cornes is within the prime three vital figures within the recreation, maybe solely behind Andrew Dillon and Laura Kane. When you eat even a fraction of the footy media on supply, likelihood is you hear two voices above all others – the primary is the yahoo on the Sportsbet adverts, and the second is Cornes.

Cornes is a divisive determine and a handy individual to pin all the game’s issues on. However a whole lot of what he does is superb. His play-by-play evaluation exhibits somebody who does their homework and sees the sport properly. His columns exhibit a very good nostril for information, and a willingness to swim towards the tide. He’s beholden to nobody within the recreation, besides maybe his former coach Ken Hinkley, who he adores. He’s discovered his area of interest, seized his alternative, and proven his fellow former gamers that there’s extra to a media profession than donning tight fits and selecting splinters out of their backsides.

And but. He actually does appear decided to empty the whole lot that’s fulfilling and fascinating concerning the sport. Underpinning a lot of his work is a sure contempt for the trendy footballer, a relish for the gamers and coaches who run aground. He was schooled in an unforgiving surroundings – bodily, mentally and even financially – an period the place you paid your dues, stiffened the sinews and saved your mouth shut. He’s contemptuous of something that strays from that – therefore his slightly tedious obsession with the size of contracts, with smiles and hugs after the siren, and together with his “High 10 Spuds” or no matter that morning’s scorching take furnace is fanning.

Cornes’ new function will check him. His viewers will likely be much less rusted-on than what he’s used to. There’ll be extra ladies, older followers and viewers who drift out and in of the game. His largest problem will likely be putting the suitable steadiness between positivity and negativity. On 9 and SEN, he had no hand brakes. At Seven, he’s going to must take heed to his total accountability to the game – to put it up for sale, to not discover fault in each passage of play, and to maybe present a bit of extra restraint when he’s speaking about head knocks, long-term accidents, contract extensions or wayward younger gamers.

Craig Hutchison, one other with a longstanding skilled and private relationship with Jones, will produce a lot of Seven’s non-matchday programming. The very last thing we’d like is extra of those exhibits. However on condition that Fox Footy now has a mortgage on Saturday video games, Seven wants a brand new hook. Agenda Setters, Unfiltered, Further Time, The Wash Up and Kane’s Name all recommend a sure solemnity. However the hosts, panellists and defectors (or “checklist cloggers”, as Eddie McGuire known as them) all deliver one thing that’s been missing at Seven and certainly Fox Footy – panellists keen to stay their neck out, journalists who can drive the information agenda and former gamers who aren’t simply phoning it in.

Jones was answerable for Seven’s cricket protection and he did a very good job. He promoted new voices, employed extra ladies, watered down the purple cordial and helped make watching cricket on free-to-air TV a far much less grating expertise. On this function, he’s poached the suitable individuals, he’s been given an acceptable price range and he’s given each indication that the host broadcaster would possibly truly be as much as the duty. For too lengthy, Channel Seven has handled its viewers with contempt. This, hopefully, is a step in the suitable route.

Crunching the numbers

Ken Hinkley will step apart on the finish of the season with Josh Carr to take over at Port Adelaide, whereas Luke Beveridge, Matthew Nicks and Justin Longmuir are among the many coaches anticipated to face probably the most warmth this 12 months.

From the archives

The spate of pre-season accidents is a reminder of the wretched luck of David Schwarz. In his absolute prime after a breakout 1994 season, he first tore his ACL in a scratch match performed adjoining to Albert Park Lake. He was carried off in a ute. He made one of many quickest ever recoveries within the historical past of knee injures and tore it once more.

9 months later, Schwarz returned in a reserves recreation on the Lavington Sports activities Floor close to Albury. He modified route, heard his knee crack and staggered off, vowing to retire and develop into an expert gambler. He additionally punched a corrugated iron interchange field, breaking his hand. Schwarz would return as “The Ox” lots heavier and much much less nimble, however he eked out a strong, if chequered profession.

They mentioned what?

The Bombers this week added the 25-year-old ahead to their checklist after he impressed with 4 targets in a cameo towards the Western Bulldogs. Golf equipment have till Friday to finalise their pre-season alternatives.