Kane Cornes has taken aim at Collingwood youngster Jack Ginnivan, accusing the Magpies players of over-celebrating their win against St Kilda on Friday night.
Collingwood enjoyed a strong start to its 2022 season, recording a hard-fought 17-point win over the Saints to give new coach Craig McRae the first win of his coaching career.
Following the win, Collingwood posted a selfie-styled video of Ginnivan and his teammates’ immediate reactions to the win, with the 19-year-old describing the win as “light work” and “the first of many”.
READ MORE: ‘Bruise-free’ Bombers blasted by Matthew Lloyd
READ MORE: Arch-enemy stalls Buddy’s push for 1000 goals
READ MORE: Star forward banned over brutal tackle
However, Cornes was left highly unimpressed, and took the youngster to task.
“(Collingwood) finished 17th last year. You’ve beaten St Kilda, who no one expects will do anything this year, stop carrying on,” he told Nine’s AFL Sunday Footy Show.
“That’s Jack Ginnivan, you’ve played six games. Just relax. Earn some respect in the game before you go on carrying on like that.
“If I’m (Adelaide coach) Matthew Nicks, I’m playing Collingwood next week and I’m showing that vision going, ‘who do these guys think they are?’.
“You don’t see Geelong carrying on like that. You don’t see Richmond and dynasty teams carry on like that. Earn some respect before you start carrying on like that, saying it was ‘light work’ and ‘the first of many’. There’s a thing about winning in a humble way.”
However, Cornes’ co-panellists did not see eye to eye, with leading reporter Damian Barrett hitting back at the Port Adelaide great.
“It’s going to be a very long year on this panel if you’re carrying on like that after Round 1,” Barrett told Cornes.
“What is wrong with it? You just described it as a blockbuster and like a movie set, and that’s part of the movie.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to be down there over the summer and there is a genuine feeling of the young kids taking the club with them. That’s just a part of it.”
Former Bulldogs and Richmond star Nathan Brown and Nine News reporter Tony Jones also joined the Cornes pile-on.
“The footy world is changing, Kane. It’s about engaging fans. Collingwood fans will love that,” Brown said.
“Kane, at the end of the day it’s a game of football,” Jones added.
“They’re young men, they’re enjoying a moment, they don’t need some Debbie Downer like you sitting here on a Sunday (criticising it).”