Footy personality Kane Cornes opens up about horrible childhood moment
AFL commentator Kane Cornes has spoken publicly about his fight against debilitating anxiety and rejected his father's claim that it stems from a traumatic childhood incident involving a babysitter.
Cornes, 43, has become one of the AFL's most polarising, controversial and successful commentators after a stellar playing career with Port Adelaide.
But despite his hardline TV persona, he has displayed his more thoughtful side in a new interview.
'I went through a really hard stage with that when we'd just won the premiership [in 2004],' Cornes told Unfiltered.
'I thought something was wrong with me in my head, so I was getting all the scans and stuff and going to the doctors.
'I'm like, "Something's wrong with me. I'm not feeling right, something is wrong."'
Kane Cornes (pictured) has opened up about the anxiety issues that led to him getting scans to figure out what was wrong with him mentally
Cornes (pictured for Port Adelaide in 2015) said not being able to keep up with the mental side of the game drove him to retirement
The footy star has also claimed his father Graham – who is a South Australian footy legend in his own right – blames himself for the anxiety problems due to an incident that occurred when he was being babysat as a boy.
Kane Cornes has previously revealed that he always had a fear of being left alone as a child.
'Dad points to that (the babysitting incident),' Cornes said.
'I remember that; they went out and I was with the babysitter (who) couldn't hear me and I couldn't get out of the room, and I was screaming and it was a horrific moment.
'But I don't put that down to the anxiety that I've had later on.'
The Channel Seven star has previously said of the incident: 'He [Graham] got out of the car and was confronted with the sight of me clawing at the glass on the window, tears running down my face and crying hysterically, "Mummy! Daddy!"'
Cornes revealed he retired from the game due to the mental side of the sport, rather than not being able to keep up with the physical requirements of being a first-grader.
'I was great physically. I reckon I could have played three years ago, like at 40. So physically, it was never that,' he said.
Pictured: Cornes' father Graham, who is a footy legend in his own right, with third wife Nicole
Cornes (pictured) is widely regarded as one of Port Adelaide's greatest ever players
'But for me, I marvel at the mental strength of those that are playing for a long time because you have to be so mentally strong.
'And I mean mentally strong in that you forget what's happened. So you have a bad game [and say], "OK, forget that, I'll move on".
'I couldn't. I was horrible if I played poorly. I didn't speak to people, even the ones that I loved, for a couple of days.'
Cornes played 300 matches for Port Adelaide and kicked 93 goals for the Power.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
