Jordan Lewis and Jack Riewoldt have clapped back at Kane Cornes

Former AFL player and now media personality Kane Cornes loves to ruffle feathers, but he’s come under heavy fire over his latest take.

Jordan Lewis isn’t fazed by the criticism, just don’t question his motivation.

Jordan Lewis returned to the Melbourne line-up for the first time in 2019 when the Demons took on St Kilda in round five.

The game was a disaster for the club as they were comprehensively swept aside by the Saints, Lewis ended the match with 13 disposals to his name.

While he was far from the worst player on the day, he drew some of the heaviest criticism. Most notably from former player and now media personality Kane Cornes.

Cornes lashed Lewis for cashing in and topping up his “retirement fund” and not being up to scratch any more.

‘‘It’s nice to top up your retirement fund but we want to remember you as a four-time premiership player at Hawthorn,’’ Cornes said on Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show.

‘‘We don’t want to remember you as what we saw yesterday. They just couldn’t hide him on the field yesterday.”

Kane Cornes takes aim at Jordan Lewis 🔥

Don't miss #9FootyClassified tonight on @9Gem at 8:40 pic.twitter.com/CMgBFOWmoi

— The AFL Footy Show (@AFLFootyShow) April 22, 2019

But Lewis was just as brutal in his rebuttal to the criticism from Cornes and he wasn’t alone with Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt coming to the four-time premiership player’s defence.

“I think some of the media commentary around him — I’ll call out one comment today, Kane Cornes said he was playing for his super(annuation),” Riewoldt said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360.

“I think that some players and some media people have got short memories of their own careers.”

Lewis said after hearing what Cornes had said it didn’t affect him, but people should never question his motivation.

“It’s funny how, I don’t watch TV shows, footy shows or anything like that, but somehow it filters back to the person because people want to know how you think and want to know what you think about it,” Lewis said on AFL 360.

“So it was funny and you do appreciate that (Riewoldt going in to bat for him).

“It is water off a duck’s back, it doesn’t affect me one bit and people go about what they do and how they do it the way they want to and I’m happy for criticism — but don’t ever question the way and my motivation to play the game, don’t ever do that.

“I think you step over the line when you do that.

“Criticise my performance, I’m happy with that — but don’t ever go down the hole of criticising questioning why someone’s playing the game.”

Not happy, Kane.

Lewis said Cornes’ comment he was topping up his superannuation was “embarrassing.”

“I think that’s an embarrassing comment, absolutely embarrassing and I think he’s got a track record — that’s the path that he goes down, so I think as players, everybody knows that,” Lewis said.

“But to say someone plays purely for their super fund, I think it’s a little bit disrespectful to be honest.”

The 308 game star of the game reiterated the criticism wouldn’t affect him, but having his motivation questioned wasn’t on.

“I’m happy for him to say what he wants to say, it’s fine. It doesn’t bother me,” he said.

“We get criticised from all angles and as a senior player and as a player who’s been around for a long time, you expect that, that’s fine, it doesn’t worry me. Jack’s been on the end of it.

“(It bothered me) because he went down a different path and didn’t criticise my game, he criticised my motivation.”

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin came out in defence of Lewis following the critical assessment from Cornes and clearly didn’t see what the former Port Adelaide player did as Lewis was included in the team for Wednesday’s clash against the Tigers.

“He was ready to go last week. He didn’t perform to the level & he’s been criticised for that,” Goodwin said.

“But what Jordan has given to this footy club, to Hawthorn & to the game needs to be respected. Some of those comments are quite insulting.”

Originally published as Jordan Lewis and Jack Riewoldt have clapped back at Kane Cornes