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Live sport on SN this weekend“I don’t want the Gold Coast tough guys”: Cornes slams Suns for behaviour during practice matches
Nicholas Quinlan • February 21st, 2025 1:54 pm
Kane Cornes has called out the Suns for their antics during the club's practice match with the Lions and Magpies.
Gold Coast were victors in their un-official pre-season hit-out where they beat rivals Brisbane by 10 points and Collingwood by 18 points in matches consisting of two quarters.
But Cornes’ main point from the fixtures was the aggression that the Gold Coast displayed in the game, calling it excessive.
“I didn’t see all of four quarters that Gold Coast played but they are a club that has done too much talking.” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.
“I want action over talk. Don’t be running around trying to intimidate premiership players or first game players and acting like you are these tough guys, giving free kicks off the ball and decking Levi Ashcroft off the ball.”
“You’re the Gold Coast Suns okay, let’s get your footy doing the talking. Let’s when the footy is there, win it. When you are in a winnable position at three quarter time, go about your business and get the job done.”
“I don’t want the Gold Coast tough guys; until they are in a position where they have earnt the respect to be the tough guys.”
With the AFL side being the only club to have not played finals in its history, Gold Coast in Damien Hardwick’s second season as coach are under pressure to break their finals drought.
They have been active in the trade space as they have been getting players that are tailored to Hardwick’s system such as Richmond’s Daniel Rioli and Collingwood’s John Noble.
The Suns have also made good use of their Academy having added Leo Lombard as a top ten pick in last year’s draft. Although he will be undergoing scans on his shoulder after his collision with Levi Ashcroft.
David King was in some agreement with Cornes’ opinion surrounding the Gold Coast believing there is some need for on-field aggression albeit during the premiership season.
“Yeah, I don’t understand it in practice matches for starts, that is a good point you raise,” he said.
“But I do think you have to have a little bit of nasty in you to go anywhere in footy; just a little bit of nasty,”
“I think your captain (Noah Anderson) needs to lead the way a little bit of nasty.”
Gold Coast will play against Sydney as part of the AAMI community series next Friday at Peoples First Stadium at 8:10pm AEDT time.
They will begin their season during Opening Round against Essendon on the 8th of March at the same venue.
