- Kane Cornes clashed with Luke Beveridge on Thursday
- Footy commentator felt Beveridge was ‘combative’
- Western Bulldogs coach hosed down incident post game
Polarising Channel Seven footy commentator Kane Cornes has revealed what was said during his fiery exchange with Luke Beveridge on Thursday night in Geelong.
Cornes already has a frosty relationship with the Western Bulldogs coach – and it is unlikely the high-profile duo will be sharing a beer anytime soon.
Speaking on SEN Radio, Cornes felt you could have cut the tension with a knife pre-game at GMHBA Stadium.
‘I was standing close to the boundary line getting ready to go on TV,’ the outspoken commentator said on Friday.
‘Out of the corner of my eye Luke Beveridge and the crew started walking towards me. I thought, ‘Oh ok, this is going to be interesting, how do I play this?’
‘So I just stood there and looked out and as he came closer to me he was staring at me strongly with a strong look on his face. That was from 10 or so metres away and as he got a little bit closer I looked back and I just said, ‘Bevo’, and nodded my head.
Footy commentator Kane Cornes has revealed what was said during his fiery exchange with Luke Beveridge on Thursday night in Geelong
It follows Cornes (pictured, middle) and Beveridge appearing to clash at GMHBA Stadium
‘The reaction (from Beveridge) was the reaction that you saw. I don’t know if it’s for me to share what he said. I’m happy to tell you exactly my part in this – other than to say ‘Bevo’, and nodded my head – it wasn’t received well.
‘It was something along the lines of, ‘You’ve got the nerve to say that’, and I just said, ‘What, I can’t say hello?’. Then he turned around again and started to go again and that’s when he was dragged away.
‘But it’s ok, it’s fine. He’s combative, he protects his club, I’ve got no issue with it.
‘We can have a bit of a laugh about it, I think.’
Cornes added his decision to walk towards Beveridge wasn’t confrontational.
‘It was never going to become physical, he had his own security guards, he had a couple of club officials pulling him way,’ he added.
‘It was more just a flinch reaction or a shock reaction when you’re not expecting something. Your initial instinct is to walk over and say, ‘Did I hear that correctly?’, type of thing.
‘It was over pretty quickly.’
Speaking post game, the Western Bulldogs coach dismissed any talk of tension with Cornes, telling reporters ‘you’re not going to get me to bite’
It comes as North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson refused to deal with Cornes before a recent game against Essendon
Speaking post game after his side was beaten by 14 points, Beveridge dismissed any talk of tension.
‘What incident?’ he told reporters. ‘Ultimately we come in here, we talk about the game. ‘If you’re trying to drum up any controversy, I don’t think there was any.
‘I’ve really got nothing to say. You’re not going to get me to bite.’
Recently Cornes claimed Beveridge was on a ‘charm offensive’ with certain members of the media, despite having a notoriously prickly relationship with reporters across his coaching career, which includes a premiership in 2016.
It comes as Beveridge is looking to sign a new contract with the Bulldogs beyond this season.
The Bulldogs have banned Cornes from their change rooms – and he is also on the nose at North Melbourne.
It was recently felt at the Kangaroos that Cornes’ analysis was ‘personal and vindictive’ towards players, notably young talents Harry Sheezel and Jy Simpkin.
Cornes labelled Sheezel’s playing style ‘stat-padding’ and felt Simpkin’s on-field behaviour was unbecoming of a captain, suggesting he should focus more on his performances than ‘mouthing off.’
Kangaroos football boss Todd Viney condemned the remarks as bullying – and head coach Alastair Clarkson then refused to talk to Cornes ahead of a recent game against Essendon.
