AFL
5 months ago
“I want that flipped”: Why Cornes is putting young Giant in the gun
By SEN
Kane Cornes wants a big performance from GWS midfielder Finn Callaghan in Saturday’s clash against Gold Coast at ENGIE Stadium.
While the former No. 3 pick is averaging 22.3 disposals a game in 2024, Cornes isn’t happy with his kick-to-handball ratio.
So far this season, Callaghan is averaging 8.9 kicks to go with 13.4 handballs and Cornes would like to see those numbers flip.
In 2023, Callaghan averaged 9.9 kicks and 10.9 handballs, albeit in a more outside role, but Cornes wants to see the highly-touted youngster play to his strengths and cause some serious damage away from the contest against the Suns.
“This is just a small one here for Finn Callaghan, he’s in the gun,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.
“It’s because he’s turned into a handballer and when I first saw him play I thought, ‘Your strength will be the damage you can do on the outside with run and carry, high metres gained and high score involvements’.
“But ever since he’s come into the competition in 2022, his handballing every year has gone up and his kicking has gone down.
“It’s to the point where he’s kicking just 8.9 times to 13 handballs. I want that to be flipped.
“I want 14 or 15 kicks a game with eight handballs.”
While Callaghan has seen his clearance rate boom from 1.4 a game in 2023 to 3.7 a game in 2024, Cornes thinks he’s lost his damage on the outside as a result of the role change.
With Stephen Coniglio out injured for Saturday’s game, Cornes called on Callaghan to step up with a high-possession game where he uses the ball by foot more often than he does by hand.
“I think ever since he’s gone inside, his contested possession rate and clearance rate is up,” Cornes said.
“But what that has done is he’s lost the damage he can do on the outside and his run and carry.
“His left foot kick I think is a weapon they need. There’s no Coniglio this week so I’d like to see him go out there and get 16 or 17 kicks to and have a real influence on the game.”
Saturday’s clash at ENGIE Stadium between the two expansion clubs begins at 1:45pm (AEST).
