Port Adelaide assistant coach Chad Cornes to depart club at end of 2025 AFL season

Power Premiership player and current assistant coach Chad Cornes has been told he is being let go by the Port Adelaide Football Club.

Cornes, 45, who is one of the club's most decorated players, was part of the Power's 2004 Premiership team and was inducted into the Port Adelaide Hall of Fame in 2023.

He played 239 games for the Power before retiring in 2011 and joining the Giants in 2012 as a player and coach.

Chad Cornes re-joined Port Adelaide in 2016 as assistant coach after spending time with the GWS Giants. (AAP: Julian Smith)

He then returned to Port Adelaide in 2015 to coach the team's reserves side.

Port Adelaide general manager of football Chris Davies said the club wanted to tell Cornes of its decision "as early as possible".

"Chad has been an outstanding servant of our club as a premiership player, as a coach within our program since returning at the end of 2015, and of course as a member of our Hall of Fame," Davies said.

"Given his tenure at the club, we wanted to provide Chad with clarity as early as possible so he has maximum time to consider his future."

A 'cult figure' among supporters

The decision to not renew Cornes's contract came as his Premiership teammate Josh Carr prepares to take over as Power senior coach in 2026, when current coach, Ken Hinkley steps down.

It also came as the Power's board considers the future of another Premiership player, Warren Tredrea, over concerns that have been raise over content posted online.

Chad Cornes (left) with his brother, Kane Cornes, and father, Graham Cornes. (Supplied: Instagram)

On the Power's website Cornes was described as a "cult figure in the heart and minds of Port Adelaide supporters".

The brother of fellow Port Adelaide premiership player, Kane, Chad coached the club's SANFL side in 2016 and 2017.

He was given the defensive coaching role in 2021 before being moved to the take care of the forwards in 2022, where he has remained.

In its statement Port Adelaide said: "In arrangement with the AFL Coaches Association, clubs are requested to inform assistant coaches by August 1 as to whether they will be signed for the following season."

Former teammate reacts

ABC commentator and Port Adelaide Premiership teammate Dean Brogan said he was "shocked" by the club's decision.

"It's a brutal industry, and Chad's given the Port Adelaide Football Club very good service and I'm sure it wasn't an easy conversation for Carry (Josh Carr) with Chad, but it is what it is and its business, and the club has just got to keep moving forward," Brogan said.

"I know Josh and Chad are pretty good mates, but putting mateship aside, Josh has got a big job to do moving forward, and he probably feels like he might just need some fresh ideas."

Brogan said that he was at the Giants when Cornes first moved into coaching just over 10 years ago.

Dean Brogan said he was "shocked" by the news of Chad Cornes's departure. (Supplied: ABC News)

"Chad has been in the game the best part of 30 years, I reckon, with coaching and playing, so you know it might be good for Chad too.

"When you've been doing it for a long time and you're in your mid 40s, maybe you want to do something different and have a go at pivoting.

"He's had a good go at Port, he's been a wonderful coach under Ken, and they've had a bit of success with that coaching regime that's been there for the last 10 years.

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