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“Great honour”: Cornes explains rescinded All-Australian role
SEN • May 6th, 2026 8:50 am
Kane Cornes has spoken surrounding the decision to step back from the All-Australian selection panel amid an ongoing relationship with Sportsbet.
Given his role with Sportsbet, Cornes’ place on the All-Australian and Rising Star panel has been cut, coinciding with the recent decision for umpire Nick Foot to rescind his employment with the betting company.
Due to a conflict of interest between the two parties, Cornes was made to give up his position, driven by Sportsbet rather than the AFL or the individual.
Speaking on Tuesday afternoon, Cornes revealed his admiration for the role on the All-Australian panel, leaving with healthy relationships as he continues his journey with Sportsbet.
“It wasn’t my decision, and it wasn’t the decision of the AFL. It was a change of policy from Sportsbet as we have seen,” Cornes told SEN Locked In.
"I’m sure you’ve seen the statement from Sportsbet as a part of their rules around AFL administrators having agreements with Sportsbet, so it was driven by Sportsbet. I would have loved to have continued to do both.
“I loved the time on the All-Australian panel. I was honoured to be asked four years ago, this would have been my fifth season.
“It was a great honour; it was brilliant to be in that room with all the great footy minds discussing the impact of our greatest players.
“I think it’s such a great honour to be an All-Australian, they are hard to get, let me tell you, so to have a very small part in that and players’ legacy was something I really enjoyed.
“There is a short lifespan on being an All-Australian selector. You go through history, usually it’s a three-to-five-year thing. There are some selectors that have been there for a long time, there’s others that have been there for shorter periods of time.
“They do turn over the All-Australian panel quite regularly, which I think is important. David Mundy, Joel Selwood and Luke Hodge joining the panel this year – it’s a fresh look.
“I may have had one more season which I would have loved to have achieved but that’s not the case, and that’s okay. I think it’s a reasonable policy from Sportsbet, (I didn’t argue with them), not one bit.
“I completely understand Sportsbet’s point of view. I think the integrity of the sport is everything. I spoke to the AFL today, they had no issues with it and they were terrific.
“I’ve got great relationships there, so it ends really well there, and I wish the new look panel all the best. It was a great honour, but I completely understand the decision.”
Cornes also commented on his former role as a Rising Star judge.
“It’s kind of similar, isn’t it. It’s not like an extra panel on the Rising Star,” he said.
“It’s very much, you meet and discuss all of those things – the All-Australian and the Rising Star at the same time. I saw it as a combined responsibility, so it’s fine.
“It’s in good hands.”
