North Melbourne has taken a strong stance on media conduct, cancelling a scheduled interview between Kane Cornes and coach Alastair Clarkson, citing what it describes as “personal and vindictive” commentary from the media figure.
The decision was announced by North Melbourne football boss Todd Viney, who said the club made the call to protect its players from ongoing “bullying behaviour.” The tipping point came after Cornes criticised 20-year-old star Harry Sheezel, accusing him of “stat padding” and mockingly dubbing his style of play “Sheezy Ball.” Cornes also questioned the impact of Sheezel’s high-disposal games, which the club viewed as crossing the line from critique into personal attack.
“We’re more than happy to engage with media, but we expect a level of respect and fairness,” said Viney. “Over the last two and a half years, there’s been a pattern of commentary from Kane that we feel has become personal, particularly towards some of our younger players like Harry and Jy [Simpkin].”
Cornes responded on social media, calling the ban “strange” and expressing confusion over the club’s decision. However, the move has been largely backed by others in the AFL community. Former players including Nick Riewoldt and Dale Thomas criticised Cornes’ comments about Sheezel, defending the young player’s performance and character.
The club has stated that it does not expect an apology from Cornes but felt compelled to act in order to uphold its standards around respect and player welfare.
Viney added that players had expressed disappointment about the commentary, feeling it overstepped professional boundaries. “It’s not about silencing criticism,” he said, “but when it becomes personal, we have a responsibility to act.”
North Melbourne remains open to engaging with media, but emphasised that all journalists must be respectful when dealing with players and staff. The door remains open for Cornes in the future—provided the nature of his commentary changes.
The incident reignites ongoing discussion in the AFL about the balance between strong media analysis and responsible, respectful journalism.
