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Live sport this Sunday on SNIn the gun: Cornes calls on the AFL over umpires' reactionary response
Jaiden Sciberras • July 20th, 2025 2:30 pm
Kane Cornes has put the AFL and the umpires in the gun for their overt reaction towards a coaches complaint in Round 18.
Prior to the Gold Coast’s prime-time clash with Collingwood, it was reported that the Suns head coach Damien Hardwick met with league officials in regard to the treatment of star midfielder Matt Rowell.
Hardwick called upon the AFL to tighten up on the ball player, in response to what they believed was a lack of free kicks awarded to their star man during their Round 17 contest against Essendon.
Just a week following, Rowell was awarded seven free kicks within the game against the Pies on route to a dominant 32-disposal, 13-tackle, 12-clearance and two-goal game as the Suns powered home to a six-point victory up north.
Given the umpire’s complete deviation from weeks prior, Kane Cornes believes the AFL needs to avoid being so reactionary towards the complaints of coaches.
“I’m a bit sick of the whinging from coaches,” Cornes told SEN Fireball.
“It’s not a crack at the coaches; it’s a crack at the response to that whinging.
“It is amazing how reactionary we can be in our game, that Damien Hardwick can go on and speak about Matt Rowell and the treatment that he gets and then the next game, a couple of days later, all of a sudden, he gets seven free kicks, and he kicks two goals from those free kicks.
“What sort of reaction is that from our game, that they can be so influential, to influence outcomes of games.
“They win that game by a goal, he kicks two goals from free kicks, he has seven (free kicks) for the game just because Damien Hardwick says, ‘you better keep an eye on Matt Rowell’.
“So, for me, the umpires, the AFL, in the gun. Don’t listen to them! They can have their say, no worries, but you don’t have to react to it.”
Matt Rowell and the Suns take on the Adelaide Crows on Sunday afternoon in a bid to cement a top four spot.
