Graham Cornes can remember feeling quietly confident he would earn the coveted position of the Adelaide Football Club’s inaugural Senior Coach.

Cornes was in competition for the role with John Cahill - who would later become Port Adelaide’s inaugural coach - but still had a sense of belief he would be appointed.

And that belief was because of South Australian football legend Max Basheer AM.

“I had to present to him and the Interim Board for the position of Senior Coach,” Cornes told AFC Media.

“And after my second interview that I had for the (Adelaide Crows) coaching job, he walked me out and put his hand on my elbow, and said ‘I think you’ll be OK’.

“He was really encouraging about that and he was always positive.”

Cornes paid tribute to Basheer -  one of SA’s greatest servants - following his death on Sunday, September 14 - and as the football world gathered to say a final goodbye on Friday.

“Max was a great guy, he was a man of extreme intellect, and above all, he loved football,” he said.

“He was a gregarious chap, he wasn’t big of stature, but had an enormous presence, he was a man of intellect, had a good sense of humour and an amazing memory.

“He played football when he was younger - he was a good player  - and he loved being around the state team during those State of Origin years.

“He loved to be associated with that, meeting the players and really enjoyed the victories, there’s no doubt about that.”

Basheer was the longest serving SANFL President, and led the resistance when Port Adelaide signed a heads-of-agreement with the AFL to join the competition.

He insisted that the licence for South Australia’s first AFL club be owned by the SANFL, won the fight and the Adelaide Football Club became a reality in October, 1990.

Basheer was then elected chair of the Club’s Interim Board, assigned with the enormous task of launching a new club for the 1991 season, and was also instrumental in Cornes’ appointment as the Crows’ inaugural Senior Coach.

Although Basheer believed Cornes was the right man for the Crows’ job, their first encounters were far from ideal - at least from Cornes’ point of view.

“My first encounter with him was when he was head of the tribunal and I had been reported as a coach for abusive language to an umpire,” Cornes told AFC Media.

“I had to front him, and then again I had made critical comments about an umpire in a post-match press conference, so I had to front him again.

“But he was pretty good, he let me off with stern warnings.”

Basheer was Adelaide’s first Number One ticketholder and received Crows Life Membership in 2003, the last of his 25 years as SANFL president.

He was inducted into the SANFL Hall of Fame in 2003 and received Life Membership of both the SANFL and AFL.

Basheer’s long involvement with the SANFL started in 1962. As senior vice president from 1967-78 he was heavily involved in the 1971 decision to establish Football Park as the SANFL’s headquarters.

He was SANFL President from 1978-2003 and chairman of the SA Football Commission from 1990-2003.

Cornes said Basheer’s love for his state was evident and he always put the interests of South Australian footy ahead of personal ambition or gain.

“Max should be remembered as a person who contributed more than anyone to the game here in South Australia, with his combination of administration and leadership,” Cornes said.

“I don’t think there’s been anyone who’s contributed more to South Australian football than Max Basheer.

“He had such a major role in the establishment of the Adelaide Football Club - he was a huge figure in the Club’s entry into the AFL.

“It was Max’s strength and determination that ensured the first team that went into the AFL from Adelaide truly did represent the whole of South Australia, not just one Club. Who knows what would’ve happened had it not been for his strength and resource.”