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Cornes labels North blacklisting and Clarkson interview snub a “poor tactic”
Lachlan Geleit • April 30th, 2025 7:55 pm
Kane Cornes has given an insight into how he was blacklisted by North Melbourne following comments that the club perceived as ‘bullying’.
Kangaroos GM of Football Todd Viney revealed the move at a press conference on Wednesday where he said Cornes’ commentary on Harry Sheezel and captain Jy Simpkin overstepped the line and was ‘targeted, vindictive, bullying behaviour’.
Following that statement, Viney said that Roos coach Alastair Clarkson wouldn’t be speaking to Cornes and Luke Hodge pre-Thursday’s game against Essendon, despite the interview already being arranged.
Viney added that the Roos will refuse to engage with Cornes on ‘any of his media channels’, but would still happily talk to Hodge or other Seven staffers.
Speaking on SEN Sportsday, Cornes described the move as a strange tactic, adding that he would have preferred for Clarkson to stand up and answer the tough questions instead of running away if he were a North fan.
“I guess there's a lot going on. Your phone is ringing off the hook, I got the phone call at probably 9:30 this morning,” Cornes told SEN Sportsday.
“We had our Channel 7 production meeting, as we always do on Tuesday, and the plan was locked in place for myself and Luke Hodge to interview Alastair Clarkson for four minutes in the rooms before the game.
“You’re pretty keen to put some tough questions to Clarko, and, I would have thought he was up for answering those tough questions, and then the next day you get the call that it's off, which is a strange tactic I think from North.
“I think North Melbourne fans thought they were getting the Hawthorn version of Alastair Clarkson, where he was combative, and if he thought his club was harshly treated, he would be prepared to stand up to those that had given those harsh opinions of his club and fight back face to face.
“So, I think for him to run away from those questions, I think is a poor tactic.
“I think he's been poorly advised. I think North Melbourne fans would much rather him stand up to those and answer those tough questions face to face, because it's very easy to stand up when things are going well for your footy club, but the facts are they aren’t going well. It’s not going to be rosy.”
More to come.
