Footy greats turned TV commentators Kane Cornes and Dale Thomas in war of words over ‘the dumbest comments I’ve heard in a long while’

Polarising Channel Nine football commentator Kane Cornes has sparked a feud with his Channel Seven counterpart Dale Thomas ahead of his move to the rival broadcaster next year.

The Port Adelaide championship winner has forged a successful and controversial career at Nine and SEN but recently announced he will be switching to Seven next season.

Cornes has come under fire during the AFL finals after being criticised for suggesting injured Port midfielder Zak Butters was “soft” after the club was beaten by Geelong in week one.

Butters was substituted at half-time with a rib injury, and scans revealed bone bruising following the heavy defeat.

Cornes said Butters “wanted to be substituted or was substituted,” suggesting he lacked desire when the game was still on.

“I think it’s a real challenge for Butters now; a lot of players play in pain at this time of year,” Cornes said. “I think he had to overcome it; his team needed it.”

“He’ll have to grit his teeth this week, it’s going to hurt. He can’t do any damage, he just has to endure the pain and he needs a great performance on Friday to react.”

Butters (left) was substituted in Port Adelaide’s heavy defeat to Geelong with a rib injury.

Former Collingwood star Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas criticised Cornes for his comments, despite the pair being colleagues at Channel 7 next year.

Football analysts and former players have been lining up to criticise Cornes for his comments, with Thomas describing Cornes’ words as “complete nonsense” on Triple M’s Midweek Rub.

“And if (Cornes) was sitting across from me any time in front of a microphone or across from me in the pub, I’d tell him that’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard in a long time,” Thomas said.

The former Carlton and Magpies star doubled down on his efforts when he spoke to News Corporation this week.

“There are the odd moment when I agree with Kane, but the position I’ve taken is to support the players and not lose sight of how difficult the game is,” Thomas said.

Cornes accused Butters of lacking desire, in comments that were widely criticized.

Cornes is not letting the criticism sway his opinion, however, and said Butters will be the target this week in the club’s do-or-die elimination final against Hawthorn.

“What about Butters this weekend? Port Adelaide have said he’s playing this weekend,” SEN Breakfast host Tim Watson asked Cornes.

‘We know he was hit in the ribs, but it has not been determined that he has serious damage to his ribs.

“This is a man’s game. It’s a brutal game. It’s a final. Would you attack him if you were Hawthorn in any way?”

‘Do you take note of the fact that, ‘OK, this guy is in pain, if you get the chance…’? I’m not saying you should break the rules, hit him, spank him or anything like that.

—But do you make sure that every time you have a chance to tackle him, you throw him hard to the ground?

Port Adelaide’s star midfielder has been training this week and has been called up to play despite the injury he sustained against Geelong.

Cornes reiterated his previous comments, saying that Butters would be “vulnerable” to the desperate Hawks.

“You don’t have to make any effort to do it. You don’t hit it with the ball and you risk getting a suspension,” he said.

“But if he’s there to be knocked down, do you give him an extra push? Do you put your hand on him when you get up from the ground?

‘Steven May played against Adelaide earlier in the year and had really broken ribs and he played with Taylor Walker… May in the first hold back and took an interception mark.

“I just thought there was an opportunity to force the attack or make some contact. They didn’t and he started off really well.

‘That’s the opportunity and Zak has shown that he’s probably a little bit vulnerable on off-ball plays and you can get under his skin.

“I think it would be crazy not to do it in a final with such importance at stake.”