Face reality: Cornes urges Port to accept where they're at

Where is Port Adelaide at? That’s the question that SEN Breakfasts* Kane Cornes and David King believe the club must ask themselves right now.

The Power went down 67-81 to the Saints on Sunday night to finish off Gather Round, sending their record to 2-3 despite having the easiest fixture run of any team to start 2026.

With their fixture now beginning to toughen considerably with six weeks of games against finals contenders coming up, the Power look set to tumble right down to the bottom rungs of the ladder.

Looking closely at Port’s list, King can’t see them contending for an extended period, particularly if Zak Butters and Mitch Georgiades leave in free agency this and next year, respectively.

Cornes himself couldn’t agree more with his co-host, reasserting again that the Power must commit now to a full rebuild to address the obvious concerns with their list.

King: “I'm looking at Port Adelaide last night, and I'm thinking, ‘How many years before I can say, Port are a chance to climb and be a minor contender?’.

“Not a major contender, I'm talking like a top six team. I reckon you're looking at years.

“I think this is going to be one of the toughest rebuilds we've seen for a while.

“The talk from your brother (Chad) last week about Mitch Georgiades, let’s just say that’s true, and he does vacate and Butters goes at the end of the year… it’s going to leave the cupboard bare and you’re back to kids.

“Now I know Dougie Cochrane's going to end up at Port Adelaide, hopefully at the end of the season.

“But gee, the cupboard is bare, isn't it?”

Cornes: “Which is what we've been having a discussion around for a while now.”

King: “I'm thinking 2031 before we can even talk about them (as a contender). This is a five-year rebuild.”

Cornes: “The problem is, when you don't know where you're at and when you're somewhat delusional with where you are as a footy club, then that's the bad place to be.

“Richmond knows where they are. It's dire, but they know where they are, and they know the direction. I think Essendon know where they are. I don't think Port Adelaide knows where they are yet.

“I read a crazy article in The Advertiser last week, which was a positive spin on where Port Adelaide are at.

“It said, by the end of 2027, Port Adelaide's nucleus will be skipper Connor Rozee, vice-captain Zak Butters, spearhead Mitch Georgiades, Jason Horne-Francis, Miles Bergman, Jack Lukosius and Joe Richards, who will all be in their prime. The Power thinks the foundation of its next premiership is there.

“Let's go through those names. Rozee, yep, no worries. Butters won't be there. Georgiades may not be there.

“Horne-Francis, yep, no worries. Miles Bergman is a very average footballer at the moment, that's just the brutal facts, forget about what he's paid, that's north of a million dollars reportedly.

“To think that you're going to build around Bergman, Lukosius and Joe Richards in their prime is the most delusional thing I've read.

“It's really important, as I said on Agenda Setters a couple of weeks ago, that you sit down with David Koch and say, ‘Kochie, there's no saying we're in it to play finals every year now, there's no getting around this. There are no shortcuts, and you need to make some very smart and shrewd decisions in the next 12 months, otherwise you’ll end up like West Coast in 2020 and it’s absolute pain for six to seven years’.”

King: “Yeah, and this is really hitting home now, and I think this is where you need your club in full alignment.

“As soon as you start mixing your languages, the outside starts saying, ‘What's going on?’.”

The Power next face the red-hot Hawks at Marvel Stadium on Saturday evening.