Kane Cornes calls for major AFL rule change after Collingwood move labelled 'disgrace'

Cornes has urged the AFL to change th Rookie Draft rules immediately.

Sports Reporter

Tue, 29 Oct 2024, 8:45 pm·3-min read

Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes has urged the AFL to change its controversial rookie list rules after Collingwood appeared to exploit the current system on Tuesday. The Pies announced they had delisted premiership hero Oleg Markov and key forward Ash Johnson, but committed to re-sign them in the rookie draft.

But Cornes has labelled the system that allows Collingwood to do that a "disgrace" and a "farce". The AFL pundit says the way clubs use the rookie draft to keep senior players is wrong and needs to be stopped.

Pictured left Kane Cornes and right Oleg Markov with his partner — Kane Cornes has urged the AFL to change the rookie list rules immediately after Collingwood exploited the current system. Image: Nine/Getty

"What a disgrace the AFL’s rookie rules are,” Cornes said on SEN radio on Wednesday. "I feel like I do this every year, you can go back and listen to my thoughts one this for the last 10 years. Oleg Markov is 28 and the club is allowed to re-rookie him.

"Make the rookie list for rookies and give those players the opportunities, not players that have been at multiple clubs, are 28 years of age and have been delisted from their club and will be re-rookied. The rookie list rules continue to be the biggest farce in football and this is another example.

“And there’ll be more, this is not just a Collingwood thing. A lot of clubs will do this and they’ll exploit this and these players. That’s got to change.”

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 30: Nathan Murphy of the Magpies and Oleg Markov of the Magpies celebrates winning with the AFL Premiership Cup during the 2023 AFL Grand Final match between Collingwood Magpies and Brisbane Lions at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on September 30, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images) — Oleg Markov (right) was part of Collingwood's 2023 grand final winning team. Image: Getty

Former Tiger and Sun Markov, who played in the 2023 premiership, and Johnson are both contracted with the Magpies for the 2025 season, which only adds to the strangeness of the whole situation. Markov was initially picked up by the Pies as a rookie during the Supplementary Selection Period (SSP) in 2023, while Johnson was taken in the 2021 mid-season draft.

They played 12 and three AFL games respectively for the Pies last season."We've had to make a difficult decision around Ash and Oleg for 2025, but we are committed to re-listing them as Rookies in the upcoming draft in November," club list boss Justin Leppitsch said in a statement on Tuesday.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 15: Ash Johnson of the Magpies kicks the ball during the 2024 AFL Round 01 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Sydney Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on March 15, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images) — Ash Johnson was delisted after featuring just three times for Collingwood in 2024. Image: Getty

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Collingwood confirm new one-year deals for four Pies

Meanwhile, Collingwood have given new one-year deals to Charlie Dean, Ned Long, Reef McInnes and Lachie Sullivan for the 2025 campaign. "Charlie and Reef have had their own injury struggles, but their ongoing resilience has enabled them to easily slot back into our system," Leppitsch said.

"Since joining us, Ned and Lachie have shown great determination to learn our game plan and have seamlessly integrated into the team. All four players have added value to both our AFL and VFL programs and we look forward to seeing each of them take their football to another level next year."