Kane Cornes has questioned the existence of some AFL rivalries, following a report from 7 News on Sunday featuring players from different clubs training together.
Numerous players from Essendon, Carlton, Hawthorn and Collingwood were seen training together on Sunday, with official pre-season not beginning until late November at the earliest.
Collingwood defender Jeremy Howe was happy to train with his some regular opponents, saying: “I don’t think footy has ever felt so communal before.
“You’ve got two choices, you either do your own thing or you come together and train.”
Club allegiances are out the window as @AFL players take on a fresh approach to off-season training. One Magpie has declared the combined sessions are here to stay, as an emerging Bomber goes head to head with a Blue. https://t.co/5zYfOfohG3 @cleary_mitch #7AFL #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/7NhHHgEBLM
— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) November 7, 2021
Cornes appreciates the work players are putting in, but doesn’t think he could have done something similar during his playing days.
“I don’t know how I feel about this,” he told SEN SA Breakfast.
“Firstly, I love how seriously players are taking the off-season now, I always thought it was an untapped resource and such an opportunity to get ahead on the competition.
“I love that, but I don’t know if I ever would have trained with the opposition.”
Essendon defender Jordan Ridley was also in attendance and was pictured playing on Carlton Coleman Medallist Harry McKay during the scratch match.
“He’s a super player, and the more I can do it now, the more tricks I’ll learn for in the season,” Ridley said of the contest.
The Bombers and Blues have a significant rivalry in the AFL, and Cornes believes training sessions such as this lowers the validity of such fierceness.
“I’m not sure how many tricks Harry McKay is going to giving away in November in a little eight on eight (drill) they’re doing, but I would have felt uncomfortable doing it,” Cornes said.
“Maybe that’s my issue more so than anyone else’s, but can you imagine Port Adelaide and the Crows (training together)?
“It’s the same thing, Carlton and Essendon are fierce rivals.
“Can you imagine Travis Boak and Rory Sloane going at it in the off-season and training together?”
It’s why the Port Adelaide champion believes the ‘Showdown’ between the Power and Adelaide will continue to be the premier rivalry in the AFL.
“It would never ever happen (in Adelaide), and that is why the Showdown will continue to be the best rivalry in the AFL,” Cornes continued.
“People will tell me Carlton and Essendon have a rivalry, well they don’t.
“They’re all friendly, lovey-dovey, training together in the off-season.
“It would never happen (in South Australia), the teams here hate each other.”
AFL players in their first to fourth year return to training on November 22, while more senior players return later on December 6.