Departing Cornes forecasts where Port will finish in 2026

SEN • October 23rd, 2025 3:30 pm

Following his dismissal from Port Adelaide, Chad Cornes has lifted the lid on the club’s preparations for the 2026 season.

Suffering a range of injury concerns, the Power failed to truly get going across 2025, winning just nine games en route to a 13th place finish in Ken Hinkley's final season – missing the top four for just the second time in six years.

With assistant coach Josh Carr set for his coaching debut, the Power have made a range of changes to their coaching department, bringing in former Gold Coast head coach and Brisbane assistant Stuart Dew to sit beside Carr, alongside Mitch Clisby (development coach), Darren Reeves (assistant coach), Andy Collins (director of coaching) and Luke Webster (assistant coach) in an entirely new-look panel.

Cornes, formerly an assistant coach under the departed Hinkley, has stated that the club is in good stead under fresh faces, maintaining high hopes despite their poor 2025 season.

“Speaking to people inside the footy club, they are really excited about the coaches they brought in,” Cornes told SEN SA Breakfast.

“Some great names – I love ‘Dewy’ (Stuart Dew), I think he’s one of the great footy minds that I’ve got a relationship with. All the other guys too, will bring something.

“It’s just how well those coaches can gel together. Every line coach is gone from last year, Kenny (Hinkley) obviously, so I think it will take a little while for that to gel.

“I think the list, at their best and without injuries like we saw last year, can still compete for finals. Question marks around their depth, but if they have a better run with injuries, I still think they could push for the eight.”

Off the back of an admirable 13 seasons at the helm, Ken Hinkley’s departs the club, handing the reigns to assistant coach Carr.

While the coaching handover across the season didn’t quite correlate to results, Cornes holds out faith that Carr will be a superb coach, with a game style likened to the Fremantle Dockers in the works ahead of 2026.

“I think he will (be a great coach),” Cornes said.

“I’m not exactly sure how he will change the game plan. I know he had some issues with the way we wanted to move the ball; I think he will be a little safer with ball in hand.

“He really rated the way Freo defend, so I think he will change the system in which Port defends. Maybe a bit more of a zonal defence.

“He has a really strong relationship with the boys. Obviously a tough, hard, really courageous player so I’m sure that will rub off in the way the boys go about it.”

Speaking on Carr’s decision to move him on from the coaching panel, Cornes revealed that while it was a difficult conversation, his 2004 premiership teammate will remain a great mate.

“It was interesting when he told me I wasn’t required,” he said.

“That was a tough convo because we’ve been really great mates for quite a long time, and we still will be, it ended okay in the end.

“We had some great chats post that last game. I’m really positive of what he can do, and I do honestly wish him all the best.”

In superb news, Chad Cornes will officially join Mark Bickley and Jarrod Walsh on the SEN SA Breakfast panel from 2026.