Carr reveals reasons for sacking great mate Cornes

Josh Carr expects sacking his good friend Chad Cornes will be the hardest thing he ever does in his career as Port Adelaide embarks on a new journey for 2026.

Earlier this week Cornes spoken at length about how awkward it was to be told he was surplus to requirements at a club he had dedicated the best part of two decades to.

Speaking on his SEN debut this week, Cornes said he was informed that his contract would not be renewed in the lead up to the club’s Round 17 clash with the Lions last season.

It marked the first significant change at the club after it was confirmed Ken Hinkley would step aside as coach with Carr his replacement.

Insisting there was "no bad blood", Cornes said Carr had every right to make changes.

Asked for his side of the story, Carr told SEN Breakfast: "It’s probably going to be the hardest conversation I’ll have to have in my career.

"He was a really good mate and to go in there and tell him he was no longer required going forward and we wouldn’t go with him was a hard thing to do.

"In the end he understood it but I felt like we needed fresh voices. The way the game was changing, if it’s a different way of playing we needed different voices.

"It was a hard conversation but I would like to think we have come out the other side better."

Cornes, a two-time All Australian and 239-game player with the Power and Giants, is now a member of the SEN family and co-host of The Run Home SA.

“Honestly I felt it was coming for most of the year," he said earlier this week.

“I had a great relationship with Ken. Josh had every right to make change. It’s tough when you get sacked especially from a guy that used to be a really great mate, and to be honest I have not missed it one bit.

“I put myself in Carr’s position, really close mate, it’s a big call from him, a courageous call but I think it was the right one.”

Explaining how grateful he was that he was granted more time than most to make plans for his future, Cornes added: “I got told early in the preseason I would be safe going forward. Then you don’t hear anything until round 17 when Josh came in. He asked a few people in the office to leave.

“I’m thankful he told me at that stage of the year. It was one-on-one. It gave me notice and time to prepare for what was next. I was thankful for that because some coaches get told straight after the season.

“It was awkward for a few weeks afterwards. We didn’t speak much in the coaches box for a few weeks but time heals all wounds.

“We had a big hug after that Gold Coast win which was a special night,. We have chatted since and there’s no bad blood.”

The Run Home with Kymbo and Chad can be heard on SEN SA 1629am and SEN Mt Gambier 1629am Monday to Thursday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm, and Monday to Friday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm during the AFL season.