Port Adelaide ruckman Ivan Soldo has hit out at his critics – most notably Power great Kane Cornes – in a stinging social media post following weeks of speculation around his playing future.
Leading into the 2024 AFL Trade Period, it was reported that the 28-year old was seeking a return to Melbourne, just one year after being traded from Richmond to the Power.
Among the reasons given were a frustration with falling behind teammate Jordon Sweet in the Power’s ruck pecking order, as well as struggles adjusting to life in Adelaide – with the latter also involving partner Chelsea Becirevic after the influencer claimed the ‘novelty’ of living in the city had quickly dissipated.
St Kilda’s brief interest in securing the ruckman vanished after conducting a medical with the club, due to concerns over his knee.
Speaking on Nine’s Footy Furnace on Sunday night, Cornes was scathing of Soldo’s conduct, claiming the Saints had ‘dodged a bullet’.
“They’d [the Power] have to be worried about his character… he’s got to really look at the way he’s carried himself at Port Adelaide,” Cornes said.
“There’s certainly questions whether he fits into a team environment at a football club.
“He didn’t go to the best and fairest. He came to Port Adelaide to be the number one ruckman, but he was superseded by Jordon Sweet – so the minute it got a little too hard, he wanted out. And he wanted out before he had a destination.
“He’s certainly one of the more disappointing recruits Port Adelaide has ever had. I’d be worried for his career and the way he’s accepted back into the team environment.”
Former great Nathan Buckley was likewise scathing of Soldo’s decision to not attend the Power’s best and fairest night.
“That is the culmination of the last 12 months of work. Just go. It makes no sense not to go,” he said on SEN.
“You can work your schedule around it. That is one of a handful of days or occasions that you should be there for the football club.
“Individuals and their sense of self worth or they’re wounded in some shape or another, get over it.”
Ivan Soldo competes with GWS ruckman Kieren Briggs. (Photo by Jason McCawley/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
However, in a post to Instagram, Soldo has hit back at the criticisms, going as far as to name Cornes directly, claiming the Power had ‘fully supported’ his decision to miss the best and fairest evening to attend a friend’s wedding, at which he was the best man.
“I’m honestly fed up with this ridiculous narrative that seems to not stop circulating,” he wrote.
“Let’s just clear some things up, the ONLY reason I didn’t attend the PAFC best and fairest was because it was on the same night as my best friends [sic] wedding, that I was the best man for. In which the club fully supported me to attend.
“If that reflects badly on my character then Kane our values clearly don’t align.
“In regards to the trade, this happens every year and it’s just apart [sic] of the job. I’m still contracted with Port and have no intentions of leaving.
“Also, the bullying and hate towards my partner also needs to stop, this backwards narrative is getting old.”
Speaking to AFL Trade Radio on Wednesday morning, Port Adelaide head of football Chris Davies confirmed Soldo would almost certainly be remaining at Alberton.
“I don’t really know what happened from St Kilda’s perspective – he asked to be traded there and did a medical,” Davies said.
“What happens to Ivan, who knows, but unless something happens today, he comes back to Port Adelaide and fights for a ruck spot.”
In response on AFL Trade Radio, Cornes admitted he may have been ‘too hard’ on Soldo over missing the best and fairest, saying he had a ‘valid reason’.
However, that didn’t stop him reasserting his staunch criticism of Soldo’s trade request.
“I’ll put my hand up and say I got that part [missing the best and fairest] wrong – but that was only part of my criticism over Ivan Soldo,” Cornes said.
“Mainly it is because he breaks a contract at Richmond because he wasn’t the number one ruckman, because he thinks he’s going to be the number one ruckman at Port Adelaide, and a month or so into the season he quickly realises that someone [Jordon Sweet] has outperformed him and become the number one ruckman.
“So at the end of the season, after probably not giving his all, I would say… he walks into his exit meeting at Port Adelaide and says ‘I’m out, and I want to break another contract, and I want to go to St Kilda’. That’s largely my criticism.
“Ivan in his statement said today ‘In regards to the trade this happens every year, and it’s just a part of the job. I’m still contracted with Port Adelaide and I have no intention of leaving’.
“The only reason you’ve got no intention of leaving is because the club that you thought you were leaving to doesn’t want you anymore!”