Graham Cornes: Vietnam vet, sky-walking Tiger and the voice that still stirs South Australia
If you grew up anywhere near Adelaide Oval, you can probably close your eyes and replay the moment: the ball hanging in the hot Grand Final sun, Graham “Cornesy” Cornes floating across a tired pack, sticking the grab and slotting the goal that ended Glenelg’s 39-year premiership drought in 1973. Commentator Wally May immediately called it “the greatest game I’ve seen in my life” —and half a century later, nobody’s dared argue.
Soldier turned superstar
Cornes arrived at Brighton Road via the most unlikely detour—twelve months in Vietnam with the 7th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Discharged in late 1967, the 19-year-old ruck-rover walked straight into Glenelg’s senior side. Over the next 16 seasons he played high-octane, fearless football: leaping onto shoulders at centre-half-forward one week, roving stoppages the next.
The mark, the medal, the medals
That 1973 screamer is now cast in bronze outside Brighton Road, but Cornes’ resume is much broader: three Glenelg best-and-fairests, All-Australian honours in 1979-80, a Simpson Medal (best afield in the ’79 State-of-Origin win over WA) and the 1980 Tassie Medal as the nation’s carnival MVP. In 1978 he captained both Glenelg and South Australia—a rare double that speaks to his standing on and off the field.
A brief VFL cameo
Ron Barassi coaxed him to North Melbourne in 1979. The South Australians still mutter he was played out of position, yet he pinched ten goals in just five outings before homesickness (and a Glenelg finals push) lured him back across the border.
Player-coach, master coach, first Crow
Cornes spent his final two seasons as playing-coach at South Adelaide, then returned to the Bays and promptly masterminded back-to-back flags in 1985-86. The SANFL begged him to lead its State-of-Origin program (two national titles) and in 1991 the fledgling Adelaide Crows handed him the inaugural clipboard—an experiment that yielded two finals appearances in four years and laid the club’s cultural foundations.
Microphone, newspaper and Hall of Fame
When the whistle finally went silent, Cornes simply grabbed a mic. For three decades South Australians have driven home to his 5AA sports show; if a footy debate exists, Cornesy has weighed in. In 2012 the AFL added the ultimate punctuation mark, inducting him into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.
The kid who once patrolled the jungles of Phu oc Tuy somehow found a way to squeeze four lifetimes into one career: champion player, premiership coach, founding Crow and relentless broadcaster. Not bad for the bloke who insists he was “too skinny” when he first rocked up at Brighton Road.
Career snapshot
Years played
• Glenelg (SANFL): 1967 – 1982
• North Melbourne (VFL): 1979
• South Adelaide (SANFL): 1983 – 1984
Games
• Glenelg 317
• North Melbourne 5
• South Adelaide 47
• Total – 369
Goals
• Glenelg 339
• North Melbourne 10
• South Adelaide 42
• Total – 391
Player honours
• SANFL premiership player 1973
• 3 × Glenelg Best & Fairest
• Glenelg captain 1978
• 21 games for South Australia (captain 1978)
• All-Australian 1979, 1980
• Simpson Medal 1979
• Tassie Medal 1980
• Nine-time Advertiser Team of the Year selection
• Australian Football Hall of Fame inductee 2012
• South Australian Football Hall of Fame (inaugural 2002)