Rucci's Rip: Cornes departs as only he knows how

Former Crows coach, SANFL legend and FIVEaa announcer Graham Cornes has quit his role with the radio station, in keep with his past history - without fanfare. Source: adelaidenow

GRAHAM Cornes never formally retired as a player. He simply stopped playing at South Adelaide during the 1984 final series without an announcement, without a farewell game and without a telling salute as he walked off Football Park.

Graham Cornes did not get the chance to retire as a league coach. He was sacked by the Adelaide Football Club at the end of the 1994 season with "Cornesy" starting to believe in life, everything happens for a reason.

Graham Cornes has now retired from radio, at least from a full-time gig in the big slots.

He started in the demanding timeslot of breakfast at FIVEaa 23 years ago and - as he did as a player - walked away from the drive sports show by shaking hands with management.

No announcement on his part, no farewell show and no salute after pushing in the chair and putting down the headphones at Hindmarsh Square.

It has been an extraordinary 46 years since a skinny kid stepped off the plane from Whyalla to train with the Glenelg seniors to start a remarkable South Australian story.

Graham Cornes has achieved success in every field he has touched, so he just might want to step back and smell the roses for a while with his wife Nicole and daughters (left to right) Amy, Gia and Charlize. Picture: Calum Robertson

Cornes reached the pinnacle of his sporting ambitions as a player.

To be an All-Australian in 1979 after he returned to Glenelg from an ill-fated trip to North Melbourne in the VFL and again in 1980 - with the Tassie Medal as the best player in the Australian carnival - says much of Cornes' resilience against adversity and doubt.

Cornes was even more influential as a coach. He remains the only man to lead Glenelg to consecutive SANFL flags. He defied the Big V by giving SA unprecedented success as a State-of-Origin coach. He set up the Adelaide Football Club.

For holding together South Australian football through its most tumultuous period, he was suitably honoured by the Australian Football Hall of Fame last year.

Cornes achieved phenomenal success in radio, first in partnership with the legendary Ken "KG" Cunningham and in the past five years with Stephen Rowe in a show that repeatedly won the ratings.

Graham Cornes speaks with Chris McDermott during a Crows match in 1994.

"Cornesy" moved listeners to love or loathe his strong opinions and marvel at his memorable moments - none more remarkable than interviewing cyclist Lance Armstrong and forgetting to hit the record button.

It remains Cornes' most famous piece of broadcasting even if there is not a sound bite to play.

Now he has left the airwaves to two of his original Crows, Rowe and inaugural Adelaide captain Chris McDermott.

There is extraordinary public debate as to why he would depart FIVEaa without signing off, without a farewell show and no salute to the listeners. It's just as Cornesy walked off the football field with the memories behind him doing all the talking.

On Friday - as Adelaide basked in the sunshine that adds to Cornes' belief this city is the centre of the universe - it was understandable why a man who has just turned 65 and achieved success in every field he has touched might just want to step back and smell the roses for a while.

Few people get to leave competitive fields such as football and radio on their terms. Cornes did as a player. He didn't as a coach. He has as a sportscaster on radio.

All that is left to be said is, Graham - thanks for the memories.

Eddie McGuire has finally found his platform to wear his Collingwood presidency hat and shout without fear in the commentary box. Picture: Matthew Bouwmeetster Source: Herald Sun

RIP IT UP
1. ONE-EYED
EDDIE McGuire finally found his forum to wear the Collingwood presidency hat in the commentary box without fear.

And didn't he do it without concern of being called biased as Fox Footy dedicated its red signal during the Collingwood-Richmond game on Saturday.

Funny things is listening to Ed's call was so reminiscent of some radio calls at AAMI Stadium or Kardinia Park ...

2. SLIPPERY FIELD
"UP forward". "Down back". Does anyone know when Australian football was started to be played on sloping fields?

Adelaide Crows coach Brenton Sanderson is now a one-man band after dark at post-match press conferences. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

3. MEDIA POLICY
CROWS fans may be wondering as they have watched coach Brenton Sanderson turn up solo to post-match press conferences after the AFL introduced a policy last season for the forums to have coach and a "senior" player.

Adelaide says: "The AFL changed media policy this year outlining that clubs weren't permitted to put a player up at the presser for games with late finishes. This is to help players recovery etc and allow for them to get home sooner after late games. We are required to put a player up for presser after day games."

The AFL says: "We ask the clubs to bring a player at night games, but not night games as there was little interest in them with journalists on deadline and radio going off air quickly."

Port Adelaide says it will bring a player to the after-match regardless and then did not at Gold Coast on Saturday night.

Nothing like clarity and uniformity.

4. SANFL TV COVERAGE
WILL it take another media and public campaign to get the ABC to commit to television coverage of the SANFL league competition next year?

Or do SANFL fans have to hope Julia Gillard's NBN roll-out will be complete in Adelaide by September 14 so they can watch local league games on the Internet next season?

Shall be interesting how the SANFL clubs created commentary teams for their in-house productions.

5. SA AMATEUR LEAGUE
NO-ONE should ignore the grassroots of the game, particularly when there is plenty happening in amateur ranks. Such as:
THE SAAFL remaining an affiliate of the SANFL.

ADELAIDE University's unparalleled case for concessions when recruiting players is now before SANFL community football executive Glen Rosser.

TEA TREE GULLY'S Div. 6 teams will no longer be the punching bag of the amateur ranks after being dropped to Div. 7. The Gullies' wipeouts also have been removed from the Div.6 ladder.

RIPPER OF THE WEEK
"LYING is the second language in the AFL."
KEVIN BARTLETT noting Pinocchio is becoming the mascot at some AFL clubs.

Richmond great and radio commentator Kevin Bartlett has accused some clubs of telling tall stories. Picture: Derrick Den Hollander Source: Herald Sun

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