Kane Cornes lashes West Coast over eye-opening AFL trade saga
Kane Cornes has questioned the Eagles decision to turn down a trade for their number one pick in upcoming AFL Draft.
AFL great Kane Cornes has blasted the West Coast Eagles for rejecting a trade for the number one pick in the upcoming AFL Draft, labelling the decision "crazy". The consensus is that highly-touted prospect Harley Reid will be the first selection and multiple AFL sides are offering trade deals with the Eagles in an attempt to secure the boom youngster.
AFL Media reports the Kangaroos made an offer based around Pick 2, adding two of their later first-round picks – they have 15, 17 and 18 – while getting picks 1 and 23 in return. The Demons are also said to have offered the Eagles picks 6, 11, 42 and their future first-rounder in exchange for Pick 1 in this year's draft.
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Both offers have been turned down, a decision that has left Cornes absolutely dumbfounded. “This is what Melbourne has put forward according to Cal (Twomey), picks 6, 11, 42 and a future first-round pick for pick one and West Coast have said no," Cornes said.
“Are they crazy or do they know something that we don’t? Perhaps that is the strength of this year’s draft being incredibly shallow. That seems like an extraordinary offer, three first-round picks and two of those high-end first-round picks plus a sweetener of pick 42. That wasn’t good enough.
“I suspect it will be (eventually). I’ve been adamant that West Coast will trade that and they’d be crazy not to I think that will be around the mark come draft night or closer to it.”
Multiple AFL pundits have suggested West Coast should trade pick one as the wooden spooners require a lot more than a single first-round prospect to improve their squad moving forward. Given the Roos and Demons have already made offers to the Eagles to try and swoop for Reid, Cornes expects they will continue to aggressively pursue the No.1 pick so they can gain the services of the powerful Victorian middle-forward.
As things stand West Coast hold picks 1, 23, 37, 58 and 81 in the 2023 National Draft. The Draft will run across two nights at Marvel Stadium, starting on November 20 before wrapping up on November 21.
Eagles say Darling speculation 'completely unfounded'
West Coast has denied Jack Darling is up for trade, labelling speculation about the premiership forward as "completely unfounded and untrue". The Eagles took to social media on Saturday to call out the Darling rumours as well as media speculation that Elliot Yeo and Liam Duggan could be traded.
Darling had been rumoured to be of interest to North Melbourne, but Yeo and Duggan had not been widely brought up. A report in The West Australian on Saturday claimed the Eagles were willing to trade Darling.
"Media speculation about the club discussing trades involving Elliot Yeo, Jack Darling and Liam Duggan are completely unfounded & untrue," the post by the Eagles on X, formerly Twitter, read.
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