Jason Horne-Francis called out by Kane Cornes as Harley Reid comments back in spotlight

Kane Cornes has doubled down on comments earlier in the year and called out Jason Horne-Francis for limping off the field with cramp against the Hawks on Friday night. Cornes didn't hold back earlier this year when he questioned West Coast superstar Harley Reid's fitness when he pulled up with cramp against Essendon in May.

Reid was chasing the ball, but was left behind when he clutched at his leg and struggled on. Cornes was critical of Reid and claimed if he wanted to go to the next level as a young AFL superstar he needed to work on his fitness and training standards.

"That was a concern for me, to see how out on his feet he was late in a game, that was no where near as high pressure as the Collingwood one," he said back in May of the contest. And Cornes has doubled down on his view and criticised Port Adelaide superstar Horne-Francis for leaving the field on Saturday night.

Cornes, a Port Adelaide great, admitted Horne-Francis has been the club's most important player in 2024. He also praised him as his favourite player in the current squad.

However, it didn't stop him copping the same barrage Reid did about his fitness. This comes as Port Adelaide look to face the Sydney Swans on Friday night having just contested a gruelling encounter with the Hawks in the elimination final.

"This is not one bit different. This is exactly the reason I said that. Two minutes to go in a cut-throat final and he is not out there," Cornes said on 'Footy Classified 'on Monday night. When asked whether Horne-Francis was fit enough, Cornes was blunt.

"No, he is not. His body is not capable of playing to the level...87 per cent game time. He has only done one full pre-season because of the surgery on his hamstring. He is a young player. He is 21," Cornes added.

When asked whether the same questions should be asked of Horne-Francis' training standards, the same scrutiny Cornes put Reid under earlier in the year, the Port Adelaide great agreed. "The same question applies for Horne-Francis," he added.

"As good as he has been, as much as he is my favourite player in the game, as much as he is a match winner and a star, he wasn't out there for the final two minutes and it could have cost them." The ability for Port Adelaide to back-up against the Swans this Friday has been a huge talking point after a gruelling three-point win over the Hawks. However, the Swans are also dealing with a number of selection calls themselves.

Taylor Adams set to return for the Sydney Swans

Swans coach John Longmire is still yet to decide who replaces injured captain Callum Mills on Friday night with Taylor Adams the favourite to step in. Adams joined at the beginning of the 2024 season from Collingwood, but has failed to nail down a starting position as Longmire dropped him for the clash against GWS.

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However, Adams is favourite to be called upon for the injured Mills after the captain injured his hamstring in training. Mills could still come back for the Swans if they make the AFL grand final. Although Longmire was lamenting the loss of Mills for the showdown with Port Adelaide.

“It was disappointing. He’s as we know a very important player for us and he got back to some really good form too,” Longmire said on Monday. “We’d obviously missed him for most of the season. We were able to cope with him for most of the season and that was important to be able to do that. He only did a light training session, it was a very light kick and unfortunately, he hurt his hamstring."