Cornes is key to stopping Ablett

Kane Cornes trains at AAMI Stadium in Adelaide. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

FOUR-times Port Adelaide club champion Kane Cornes is poised to be handed football's biggest stopping job.

He's almost certain to be given the task of running with Gold Coast superstar Gary Ablett at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.

Even Power coach Ken Hinkley - while refusing to completely show his hand - conceded Cornes is the obvious match-up for the champion he will coach against for the first time.

"He's certainly got a good record (on Ablett)," Hinkley said.

"He could certainly be one we look to use. We are not going to try to trick the world.

"If he runs out there on the weekend and stands alongside Gary, I don't think too many people will be surprised."

Cornes has a strong record on Ablett, who Hinkley is "in absolutely no doubt" will play, despite the Brownlow Medallist being hindered by a hand injury.

Former captain Dom Cassisi has been the player the Power usually employs as Ablett's tagger but Cornes stitched up Ablett when the clubs last met at Metricon in round nine last year.

Cornes kept Ablett to just 13 disposals in the 62 minutes they went head-to-head as the Power won by 48 points.

Cornes performed well on Crows dangerman Patrick Dangerfield in Showdown XXXIV while Cassisi continued his comeback from injury in the SANFL. He is in line for an AFL recall this weekend.

Hinkley has been engaged in a text-a-thon with Ablett as the pair square off for the first time.

Ablett has described Hinkley as a father figure and his greatest mentor, having learnt his trade under Hinkley first at Geelong and then Gold Coast, where Hinkley was an assistant.

"I got a text asking who I'd like for him to play on me," Ablett said of Hinkley.

"And the end of the text said something like `please take it easy on us'. I always knew he was going to be a great coach so it's a great challenge for us."

Hinkley said he hoped his intimate knowledge of Ablett would help curtail his influence but noted: "The whole competition watches him and we all marvel at what he can do."

Hinkley said it felt unusual trying to design a plan to stop Ablett - rather than one to assist him - for the first time.

"It's a bit different because every time I have been around Gary he has been on the same team," Hinkley said.

"It makes me probably really well prepared because I know how great a player he is. But we have to be very mindful that he's just one part of their team."

Hinkley described his relationship with Ablett, 28, as being "very close".

"Gary and I always talk ... we're very close, we have been for a long time," he said.

"He's an amazing footballer, first and foremost. But I think he's also an incredible person and just the way he does things, the way he goes about things, he's a really giving sort of a fellow.

"I look forward to him playing well every other week, bar this week."

Hinkley played with Ablett's father, Gary senior, at Geelong and said he cannot separate the namesakes as the best players he has seen.

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