'Wouldn't be speaking like that': Kane Cornes warns Crows coach Matthew Nicks to be humble after Bombers win
Kane Cornes has sent a warning to Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks, after his side's two-point win over Essendon in round 19.
The Crows held off the Bombers, to piled on four goals-to-two in the final term, headlined by the match-winner, booted by Josh Rachele in insane scenes at Marvel Stadium.
It was an important win morally for the Crows, after a sour end to their first meeting with the Bombers in April this year.
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At the time, it was Essendon big man Sam Draper who controversially dived on the ball inside Adelaide's forward 50, with just seconds left in the final term.
He was not pinged by the umpires, as the Bombers went on to snatch a three-point victory.
Josh Rachele of the Crows celebrates with Matthew Nicks, Senior Coach of the Crows after winning in round 19. Getty
After that match, Draper was seen celebrating with teammates, by mimicking his previous action of jumping on top of the ball.
Around that time, the AFL conceded that it was the wrong call not to award a free kick to the Crows on the siren for Draper's controversial act.
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Now, three months on, Nicks has been sure to remind Essendon of the importance of humility.
"Incredible how karma works," Nicks said on 3AW Radio after the win.
"We didn't talk a lot about the last game we played (against Essendon), but we may have popped a tiny bit of vision up of Sam (Draper) and his excitement, post the win.
"I know our guys really enjoyed the win ... for a number of different reasons."
But, Cornes isn't too pleased with Nicks' carry-on, urging the coach to be humble, as his side faces another year without a finals berth.
Josh Rachele kicked the winning goal in the finla term of their match against Essendon in round 19, 2024. AFL Photos via Getty Images
"You can enjoy the win, but I wouldn't be speaking like that when you're 14th (on the ladder)," Cornes said on Nine's Footy Classified on Monday night.
"Adelaide fans should be burning down the stadium, if they didn't play finals, which they're not going to do.
"Good win, but you did it in the last kick of the game."
Crows players were up in arms as Draper dived on the ball in the dying seconds in April of 2024. Fox Footy
It will be the seventh year that Adelaide has failed to reach September, with their last finals game being their horrible 48-point grand final loss to Richmond back in 2017.
"That wasn't a commanding performance. I wouldn't be talking about karma just yet, I'd be winning a little bit more humbly than that," Cornes said.
The Crows have a 7-10-1 record after 19 rounds, with finals very likely now out of reach, with five weeks to go.
