'Doesn't rate them': Kane Cornes blows up at Bulldogs manager's 'rubbish' sales tactics
Kane Cornes has fired up at the sales tactics of Western Bulldogs list manager Sam Power as he tries to put together trade deals for players that clearly aren't as valued by coach Luke Beveridge.
As the trade window officially opened on Monday, Power was on the hustings selling the attributes of Bailey Smith to the Cats, Jack Macrae to the Saints and Caleb Daniel to the Kangaroos.
But Cornes pointed out Power's pitches were at odds with how they had been played by coach Beveridge.
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"I've never heard a club talk up players they haven't really loved more than I heard Sam talk up his players yesterday," Cornes said on Trade Radio on Tuesday.
"Bailey Smith, yeah he's a good player (but) Luke Beveridge was playing him at half-forward. He couldn't even break into the midfield, which was highly frustrating for Bailey.
Western Bulldogs list manager Sam Power on Monday. AFL Photos via Getty Images
"For Sam to get up there and say he's a great player and he influences games, plays the modern way, and is highly marketable, is rubbish when you look at the way when he was fit, your coach was using him."
Smith ruptured his ACL last December and missed the entire 2024 season. He's been linked with the Cats for much of the year, although Collingwood did briefly hold an interest in the 23-year-old.
Cornes said he understood why Macrae was also wanting out of Whitten Oval.
"He went on to talk about how much they loved Jack Macrae ... your coach doesn't rate him. Let's be completely honest. Who could fault Jack Macrae for wanting to be traded from the Western Bulldogs?"
And he didn't buy Power's claims vice-captain Caleb Daniel was a "really valuable player".
"A really valuable player who you've put into the VFL eight times? This is rubbish," he said.
"Look, I'm not surprised clubs are doing this, but if you want Caleb Daniel, you should be playing him. And if they're not going to play him, don't talk him up like he's the some really influential player, that your coach doesn't rate.
"Smith, Macrae and Daniel, your coach doesn't rate. That's the facts. Don't go talking them up like they're these superstars who are really influential members of your club."
