Racing
League
Rugby
Football
Cricket
Golf
Olympics
Motorsport
Netball
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
FIFA World Cup guide“Nowhere near”: Cornes and King debate AA credentials of gun Saint
SEN • June 15th, 2026 11:42 am
Should Max Hall’s name be thrown around in All-Australian conversations?
The emerging St Kilda star, in his second season at AFL level, was excellent again as the Saints beat GWS by eight points on Sunday.
Hall had 19 disposals at 100 per cent efficiency, plus five score involvements, five tackles, two clearances and a goal in a damaging display, with his efforts impressing legendary Saint Nick Dal Santo.
“You just see that work rate and that spread that forces a defender to play on a midfielder,” Dal Santo said on Fox Footy.
“He’s All-Australian quality this year. Has had a fantastic first half of the season.”
But Kane Cornes believes it’s a bit premature to put Hall’s name in the conversation, sending a warning to commentators not to flippantly throw AA mentions around.
“He’s had a good year, not All-Australian quality,” Cornes said on SEN’s Fireball.
“Not in the top 20 of the coaches votes and not in front of Marcus Bontempelli, Isaac Heeney, Max Holmes, Zak Butters, Shai Bolton, Murphy Reid, Bailey Smith, Jai Newcombe, Kozzy Pickett - you’re just not going to get in.
“It’s too easy to say he’s All-Australian without going through the plethora of players in front of him.
“That’s just a little shot across the bow for others that use the All-Australian term too freely.”
David King wanted to debate Cornes’ call on Hall, suggesting some of the Saints' numbers should have him in AA calculations.
King: “Can I give you a counter-argument to that?
“He’s involved in 30 per cent of the Saints’ scoring which is one of the higher percentages for a player.”
Cornes: “He’s having a good year but it’s nowhere near All-Australian.”
King: “Nowhere near it?”
Cornes: “Nup. Well you’ve got to knock someone (ahead in the pack) out.
“Of those names I read out, is he in front of those? There’s going to be eight to nine spots for a midfielder in the All-Australian team.
“Max Hall is not one of those eight or nine.”
King: “He’s third in the comp for score involvements at a team that is struggling.”
Cornes: “There’s any stat you could pull out…
“Ok, is he in front of Bontempelli? Heeney? Holmes? Butters? Bolton? Smith?”
King: “Hold the phone, I could read through the coaches association votes. It’s a midfielder’s award.
“He’s not a midfielder, this guy, he’s a mid-forward.”
Cornes: “Either is Shai Bolton or Murphy Reid or Heeney or Petracca. They’re all mid-forwards.”
King: “Ok, but he’s not really fighting those guys for a position. He’s more fighting with Murphy Reid than Marcus Bontempelli.”
Cornes: “Righto.”
King: “We can disagree on that.”
Hall, who was picked up in the 2024 Mid-Season Rookie Draft, is averaging 20.3 disposals, 7.5 score involvements, 4.3 inside 50s and 4.1 clearances and has kicked 16 goals in 2026.
His 106 score involvements sits third in the league and is 20 clear of the next best Saints - Hugo Garcia and Cooper Sharman on 86.
