Port icon tells club to 'harden up' in verbal war

Port Adelaide large Kane Cornes has urged those astatine the nine to "harden up" aft suggestions that figures astatine the Power were not pleased with his honorable analysis.

Cornes was scathing successful his disapproval of his beloved side aft they were crushed by 71 points successful a location preliminary last against the Western Bulldogs, suggesting that immoderate underperforming players were "buried astatine the Adelaide Oval".

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He was not the lone ex-Port prima to lash the club, with premiership skipper Warren Tredrea besides questioning manager Ken Hinkley's preparation successful the aftermath.

However, according to The Age's AFL newsman Caroline Wilson, figures astatine Port Adelaide were not excessively pleased with some Cornes and Tredrea's comments.

Cornes believes Port manager Ken Hinkley needs to 'harden up' if helium was wounded by his disapproval (Getty)

"I deliberation there's a presumption astatine Port Adelaide ... that you 2 of each people, fixed your clip astatine the nine erstwhile the nine challenged to triumph flags and took a fewer years to get determination and mislaid finals they should've won, you of each radical should've understood it," Wilson said connected Nine's Footy Classified.

Cornes did not backmost distant from his disapproval of the club's performance, and called connected Hinkley to "harden up" if helium had been wounded by the comments made successful the aftermath of the loss.

"Me showing immoderate clips of immoderate Port Adelaide players shirking contests successful the archetypal 4th of a last that was acceptable up to triumph should not impact Ken Hinkley," helium told Footy Classified.

"Now if it does, Ken, I'm not definite is delicate to these comments, I deliberation he's got to harden up a small bit.

Despite having the backing of a location crowd, Port Adelaide were blown disconnected the parkland by a well-drilled Bulldogs outfit (Getty)

"No 1 has said much bully things astir Ken Hinkley successful the past 9 years than myself.

"I've been incredibly supportive, arsenic helium was to me, I'll ne'er hide however they treated maine connected the mode out."

Cornes was besides asked astir whether comparisons betwixt the existent Port squad to the 1 helium played successful during the aboriginal 2000s, wherever the squad earned a estimation of finals "chokers" earlier the 2004 premiership, was valid.

"For me, I won a premiership erstwhile I was 21," helium said.

"It took maine 3 years to triumph a premiership astatine that club, truthful it surely didn't consciousness similar a agelong time. I'd played successful 2 expansive finals by the clip I was 24, truthful it didn't consciousness similar 9 years, which is what Ken Hinkley [has coached] going into his tenth year.

The nine is understood to beryllium bothered by Cornes (L) and Tredrea's (R) disapproval pursuing the preliminary last (Getty)

"I consciousness for the supporters who booked their tickets and spent thousands of dollars to travel over, everything acceptable up for them.

"Now, if the nine is delicate astir immoderate commentary from 2 erstwhile players who person a occupation to do, I thought it was rather balanced, past I deliberation they request to harden up a small bit."

Tredrea echoed Cornes' comments connected the show, tweeting: "Hear Hear. [Port Adelaide] request to harden up, ain your mediocre performance, larn from it and determination on."

Cornes was besides backed up by Essendon large Matthew Lloyd, who delivered immoderate brutal location truths to the Port Adelaide brass.

"They've got much things to interest astir than 2 erstwhile players and what they've had to say," helium told Footy Classified.

Port Adelaide's players were near successful disbelief aft being ambushed by the Bulldogs successful the preliminary last (Getty)

"Kane is spot on. They request to harden up. They are acold excessively sensitive. They were an embarrassment.

"They mislaid by 71 points and played shell-shocked footy, springiness america the answers of what went wrong. I privation to perceive that alternatively than thing Kane's had to say.

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"Tell america really what happened. What went incorrect successful your preparation? Why couldn't your players grip the vigor of a prelim erstwhile they had everything going for them?

"That's wherever they should beryllium putting each their focus."

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