Inaugural Crows coach Graham Cornes will coach South Australia in this year’s State Game against Western Australia.
Cornes, who coached Adelaide from 1991 to 1994 after leading Glenelg for six seasons, will guide SA’s best against the Sandgropers at Lathlain Park in Perth on May 23.
The Australian Football Hall of Famer last coached the Croweaters in 1999 and holds an impressive 8-2 record in State Games – the best record of any South Australian State coach.
Under Cornes, SA went undefeated in what was a golden era of State of Origin football from 1986 to 1994.
Cornes replaces Woodville-West Torrens coach Michael Godden, who relinquished the role to concentrate on his work with the Eagles.
A patriotic South Australian, Cornes played over 300 games for Glenelg, winning one premiership as a player and two as coach. He also won three best and fairests at the club.
Cornes captained the Tigers in 1978 and led South Australia in the State Game that year. In total, he played 21 State of Origin matches for the Croweaters.
Adelaide won 43 of 89 games under Cornes during his four-year tenure at West Lakes, including its first finals victory in 1993 as the Crows advanced to a Preliminary Final.
Read more on Adelaide’s past coaches
Graham Cornes addresses his players during Adelaide's clash with Essendon in Round Eight, 1994.
