Kane Cornes has issued a scathing response to Melbourne captain Max Gawn’s defence of his club’s turbulent recent history of off-field incidents.
After bowing out of the finals in straight sets for the second consecutive season, the Demons have been at the centre of a number of scandals in a dramatic few weeks, with concerns over star midfielder Clayton Oliver’s mental health amid shock trade rumours before forward Joel Smith’s positive drug test following a home-and-away match was publicly revealed last week.
The incident follows several others in recent years, most notably the fight between Steven May and Jake Melksham in mid-2022 that saw the star defender cop a one-match club-imposed suspension while Melksham sustained a hand injury.
However, speaking to Seven News, Gawn, who led the Dees to a drought-breaking premiership in 2021, staunchly defended the club’s culture, saying incidents of this nature ‘happen at most clubs’.
“There has been some stuff over the last few weeks but I feel like this happens at most clubs,” Gawn said.
“There’s adversity here, adversity there. Obviously our adversity has all come at once.”
“I’m certainly very bullish on the culture we’ve built over the last three or four years, that it can withstand adversity like this, and we’re able to get in the top four again like we have in the last three years.”
However, in his hosting role on SEN Breakfast, Cornes couldn’t have disagreed more with Gawn’s assessment of the Dees’ off-field troubles.
“Can I tell you that players don’t take drugs mid-week… this does not happen at most clubs,” Cornes said.
“The thought is that, okay, all these players get up to this. That may be true – if I had to guess, and I’d be just guessing… four out of 10 players perhaps indulge in this. Some would say more, but that would be in the off-season.
“Maybe I am naive with this, but I would be astounded if there are many players doing this a couple of days before a game. Max Gawn says this happens at most clubs. Well, no, it doesn‘t.”
(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Oliver’s list of off-field indiscretions includes a bizarre report the star on-baller bent a series of windscreen wipers near Yarra Park following a light training session late last year.
“At most clubs, your best players don‘t have significant issues like Clayton Oliver has… your best player doesn’t walk down the street, bending the windscreens of cars. This doesn’t happen,” was Cornes’ assessment.
Gawn hasn’t been the only key Demon to defend the club and its culture in recent times, with coach Simon Goodwin just as positive at the Dees’ best and fairest evening earlier in the month.
For Cornes, the denial is nearly as bad as the issues themselves.
“Max Gawn’s sitting here telling us the culture’s good and Simon Goodwin is doing the same – I think they need to be a bit more honest about where their football club is at,” he said.
“This isn’t an isolated event, and it’s certainly, I think, incredibly serious. Something drastically wrong is going on with one of your players’ lives if he’s sitting at home or if he’s at a seedy nightclub on a Friday before a Sunday game doing this.”
Smith isn’t expected to miss any matches in the 2024 season despite the positive test, with reports suggesting he will be hit with a three-month suspension to be served over the summer.
Chanon
Roar Rookie
Well at least he enjoys Coopers Pale Ale that’s something we can all agree on.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I've forgotten who Rodger was? I'll probably go "ofc, that's hom"
Chanon
Roar Rookie
WC in 06 comes to mind just ask how Rodger feels about that 1 point loss. :laughing:
Sam Branigan
Roar Rookie
Don and a few others are on the mark. The idea that these blokes in their 20s earning hundreds of thousands of dollars a year are living lives analogously to other blokes in their 20s who don't earn that coin is very wrong. Just because they have the money it doesn't mean they spend it on drugs. I'm reminded of a comment Matthew Lloyd made a few years ago - in his whole career he never played with anyone who could go on a bender every weekend and continue playing good football. Ben Cousins is an exception to the rule, and whilst I'm sure there are plenty of players who give it a good nudge in the off season, or maybe even during the bye weekend, there would only be a very small proportion who give the beers a real crack week to week, let alone the nose beers. Likewise chicken parmas or burgers or McDonalds - Will Day, skinny bloke that he is, said in a podcast interview a few weeks ago that he could probably let himself go for a fortnight post season eating things he wouldn't normally eat, but would then get himself back on track. Yes, players in the AFL have incredible amounts of talent, but they also have incredible dedication and commitment to their craft because they know they only have a finite time to exploit that talent.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Those are side issues. The real issue is there is a distinct pattern of illegal drug use from the Eagles players of that era. Did it stop them from achieving short term success? Obviously not, but did it lead to long term problems for some of them? Definitely yes.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
All's good, l was just having a dig.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Nah it’s not a word that’s super obscure particularly given that the rona is still a thing
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
You are quite surprise with cytokine you burgeoning usologist. Outside of Microbiologists and Medical staff you are probably the only one who has used that word today on the planet.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
When did you get that? I can vaguely recall it.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
In 2027 they'll be known as "Glowing Somatic Centaurs Australind"
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
That's a really good point. Most players would see themselves as role models. Many would live with that ethos. Yes, I imagine some will be compromised but they are in the minority. ------ And what of the adventure that is playing elite at and in any sport? Flags generally, I say generally, aren't won by teams where drug taking is out of control or rife.
XI
Roar Guru
With all the rebrands to **thing** Australia, how long until ASIS is renamed to Espionage Australia
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
It’s not a lot of fun the thing is it was more likely to get you if you were younger because of the cytokine storm
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Swine flu is a shocker. Knocked me flat for 3 weeks.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
DJT’s German expellee Großvater was in the first 100,000 to die from it.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
The first cases of Swine flu did start in factory farms in Mexico in 2009. Specifically in Vera Cruz but the swine flu was a relative of the Spanish flu which did start in Kansas like you said
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
They’re not called ASADA anymore it’s Sports Integrity Australia now
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
In your rage, you miss the point(s). You measure them by what seem to be your standards. They expect more of themselves than you seem to expect of yourself on your leisure time.
RT
Roar Rookie
Not baffling at all. The point of saying an athlete is disciplined is that they wouldn't jeopardise their career with stupid acts. There seems to be this constant narrative that because these guys are young and on a lot of money, cocaine use must be widespread. Yes young and cashed up increases the chance, but being an athlete would reduce it.
Wolzal
Roar Rookie
lol I remember this, just days from the GF against Hawthorn, Hawks fan Rita Panahi just happens to push this story out. Guess Chick had some debts to pay off. Or an axe to grind. Edit: I remember I called it tabloid trash on Twitter and she blocked me. Talk about thin skinned.