Senior Players List

Season by Season

• Cornelius spent the opening three weeks of the AFL season with the Reserves side, with the Club opting to play regular full-back as a key forward in 2012.

• His opportunity came in Round 4 when the Lions looked for more avenues to goal. And Cornelius didn’t disappoint, taking 10 marks and booting four goals three against the Gold Coast Suns at the Gabba. He was clearly the game’s best forward and would have been among the top handful of players vying for the Marcus Ashcroft Medal (which was awarded to Tom Rockliff).

• After kicking just one goal from his next two matches, Cornelius was again sent back to the NEAFL.

• He returned in Round 9 and delivered another four-goal performance, this time against the Kangaroos in Melbourne, but his see-sawing form saw him play just a further four matches for the season.

• Cornelius spent the final two months of the season in the NEAFL, where he shone in front of the big sticks - finishing as the Lions Reserves’ leading goal-kicker. 

• He was the Reserves’ main spearhead as they broke an 11-year drought to claim their first State League title against reigning champs NT Thunder. Cornelius was also among the 10 listed Lions players who then took out the NEAFL Inter-Conference Championship against Queanbeyan the following Saturday – making it two Premierships in consecutive weeks.  

• Cornelius was presented with an early opportunity to play senior football in the first month of 2011 after a long-term injury to Captain Jonathan Brown left the Lions with a void up forward.

• But after totalling just nine disposals and zero goals across two games between Rounds 4-5, he returned to the Lions Reserves to gain some confidence.

• After being initially trialled down back, Cornelius proved that full-forward was his primary position by kicking regular bags of goals and providing headaches for the NEAFL.

• In fact, he rocketed up to second on the NEAFL goal-kicking list after booting 16 goals from three games.

• His form became too hard to ignore, and he was eventually recalled to the senior team for the final six matches, which produced a total of 10 goals - including a career-best haul of four goals against Adelaide in Round 20.

• He finished 2011 with a career-best return of eight AFL games and 10 goals, and still managed to place 5th overall on the NEAFL goal-kicking leaderboard with 46 goals with the Lions Reserves.

• Cornelius was regularly among the Lions Reserves' best players in 2010.

• He booted 11 goals from his first four games in the Reserves, including five in Round 4 in the Lions’ win over the Western Magpies.

• He was also instrumental in the Lions’ win over Aspley in Round 9, kicking six goals in a gamebreaking performance.

• Cornelius was rewarded for his consistent efforts in the Reserves with a call-up to the senior side in Round 13, and played a total of five games for the seniors in 2010 after continuing to display outstanding form in the Reserves.

 

• The big Tasmanian forward completed his first AFL pre-season and was rewarded with selection in the Club's opening NAB Cup match against St Kilda at Gold Coast Stadium.

• However, he couldn't quite find a spot in the senior side at the start of the regular season as he was in direct competition for a role in the forward line with Captain Jonathan Brown and sharpshooter Daniel Bradshaw.

• He showed plenty of promise with the Reserves side as a forward before being trialled as a potential key defender. 

• His apprenticeship in defence earned him his first senior call-up in Round 9 against St Kilda when the Lions lost key backmen Daniel Merrett and Joel Patfull through injury. After a tough battle with Justin Koschitzke in the opening half, Cornelius moved forward and finished with two goals.

• He returned to the AFLQ the following week and played out the remainder of the season with the Reserves.

• He played predominantly forward during the second half of the season and kicked regular bags of goals as the Lions Reserves' focal point in attack. Cornelius' strong hands in marking contests were certainly a feature of his game.