Pain and gain at Power training

Port Adelaide skipper Travis Boak felt the pain at training when he was brought down by teammate Paul Stewart, but he was uninjured in the clash. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: News Limited

HAVING defied father time, Kane Cornes is now eyeing history as Port Adelaide's ultimate game breaker - first to the 300 club at Alberton.

Cornes is still winning time trials against teammates a decade younger while the AFL's new 120 per game interchange cap makes endurance athletes crucial to engine rooms - arguably extending the veteran's football journey.

Cornes is Port's game record-holder with 268 entering a 14th season but no player has reached the 300-game milestone exclusively at Alberton.

"It is still a little way away but as it got closer it would be nice to get there, be the first Port Adelaide player to do it," said Cornes, 31.

"There is still a fair bit of water under the bridge."

Cornes' longevity is remarkable. The four-time club champion is every chance of extending his current one-year deal into the 2015 season required to register 300 games.

However, it's an achievement that will be hard to match.

Port Adelaide veteran Kane Cornes dishes out a handball at training while being hassled by Angus Monfries and new recruit Matt White. Picture: Sarah Reed.

"I think you will still get a few 10-year players but not too many 300-game players," said Cornes who played every game in 2012 and 23 last season.

"The expectation physically and mentally on the AFL now makes it difficult to reach 300.

"We have never had one as a club and I think you will find it hard to get there.

"Probably only a 100 players have reached 300 games in the AFL, you have to play for a long period of time."

Cornes was nearly put out to pasture in 2011 during axed coach Matthew Primus' reign but has enjoyed an incredible renaissance under successor Ken Hinkley.

Cornes doubled his tackles from 58 in 2011 to 107 last season - significantly improving an area that had drawn criticism.

Cornes finished third in the 2013 John Cahill medal behind winner Chad Wingard while Kane Mitchell was his only competition in Tuesday's three kilometre time trial.

There's plenty left in the tank for Cornes - who along with Dom Cassisi - is the Power's last link with the 2004 AFL flag.

"We will see how I go. It is good to still hold the time trial title but the boys are breathing down my neck," said Cornes.

The AFL's interchange cap may hurt cross town rival Adelaide and Fremantle but not road runner Cornes or Port.

"As a side I think it suits us perfectly, I don't think we will be affected by it much at all," said Cornes with Port averaging 128 interchanges in 2012 and 134 last year compared with the Dockers 146.

"Kane Mitchell is a great runner and probably the best athlete I have played footy with.

"It was no surprise he was right there but there were some really great performances as well."

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