Kane Cornes has shared his observations from the seventh round of the 2023 AFL season.
The Port Adelaide great dissected Round 7 on SEN’s Sportsday.
Read his thoughts below:
The Crows have kicked themselves out of premiership contention
“You can’t win the premiership if you’re not in the top four, particularly if you are an interstate side.
“The three losses they’ve had this year they’ve kicked 12.18, 10.16 and 7.16. They should be 7-0.
“Can you imagine the hype around Adelaide if they’d kicked straight and they were 7-0 and looking at a top four position.
“They’re 4-3 with Geelong, St Kilda, Western Bulldogs and Brisbane as their next four.
“They’re going to have to win 16 games in a 23-game season. They’ve got four (wins). I reckon they’re going to be 6-6 and you’re not making the top four from there.”
Why did Adelaide sub Soligo?
“Why did Matthew Nicks sub out Jake Soligo?
“24 touches, seven score involvements, 14 contested possessions and he subbed him out with 20 minutes to go.
“I couldn’t believe it. He wasn’t injured. That was bizarre why he (Nicks) did that.”
Taylor Walker’s performances in big games is a watch
“I think we need to put the performances of Taylor Walker in big games under the microscope.
“Does he play well in big games? He fills up on the North Melbournes and the Hawthorns and the Fremantles, but how often does he kick a big bag against a top four side or in a big game?
“Seven touches, one goal, one tackle, out-positioned, out-marked on Sunday and I thought his body language was poor.”
Gold Coast’s Powell is so underrated
“Wil Powell is the player in the competition we don’t talk enough about.
“I reckon he played a flawless game of football on Sunday. 28 touches, 23 kicks at 80 per cent, 13 marks.
“He’s 23 years of age on the back of a horrific broken leg. He is a star of the game.”
The Cats are perfectly positioned
“Before Round 1, everyone was playing for second.
“Everyone is still playing for second. Geelong are perfectly positioned.
“Good players are fit and back in form, they have great depth, we saw Sam De Koning go into the ruck which I loved.”
Danger on track for nine AAs, legend status
“Patrick Dangerfield has got an equal eight All-Australians which is the most ever with Mark Ricciuto, Gary Ablett Jnr, Lance Franklin and Robert Harvey.
“Is he on track to make it nine for a competition record?
“16 years he’s played and he’s on track for nine All-Australians. Goodness me.
“15 inside 50s, 10 clearances, nine score involvements in 65 per cent game time.
“He’s got a Brownlow, he’s going to have eight or nine All-Australians, he was the best finals player last year, he won the Leigh Matthews Award and he’s got four best and fairests.
“That’s legend status in the Australian Football Hall of Fame for me.”