Kane Cornes fires back at Luke Beveridge’s attack on Adam Treloar critics

The Western Bulldogs claimed one of its greatest wins on Saturday but coach Luke Beveridge has sparked a fresh fight over criticism.

Shots fired. Photo: Channel 9

The Western Bulldogs are through to the AFL Grand Final and coach Luke Beveridge isn’t going to waste the chance to fire back at criticism.

After the Bulldogs beat the Lions in a one-point classic earlier this finals series, attention turned to midfielder Adam Treloar, when he had just 10 disposals.

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Having been a high profile recruit for the Bulldogs who signed a five-year $4.5m deal with the side after the Collingwood debacle before the season started, Beveridge said that Treloar wasn’t fully fit after he struggled against the Lions.

It led to criticism, with Fox Footy’s Jonathan Brown saying Treloar would be “horrified” with vision of him struggling to get involved, while Nick Riewoldt said “he didn’t look himself”.

But former Port Adelaide 300-gamer Kane Cornes said it looked like Treloar wasn’t happy about where he was playing.

“He looks like he’s spat the dummy a little because he’s not playing midfield” Cornes told Footy Classified earlier in the week. “Some of these examples from the weekend is quite concerning from a player who has an opportunity to win a premiership. It’s not good enough for a player like that.”

But a week makes all the difference and the Bulldogs blew Port Adelaide away with a 17.14 (116) to 6.9 (45) win on Saturday night. Treloar finished with a goal and two behinds to go with 23 disposals in a huge game.

Luke Beveridge in the presser. Photo: AFL

It gave Beveridge all the ammunition he needed to unload in his press conference after the win.

“If you’re going to fail in life, fail at something that is noble. Fail at something you can dust yourself off and be proud that you had a go,” Beveridge said. “If you’re failing at trying to pull people apart and bring people down like two or three journalists did this week, I don’t know how people around you can live with you, how they can lie in bed with you, how they can look at themselves in the mirror.

“For a guy like Adam, people know he’s had some challenges over the journey. It was just really poor and vindictive stuff and it was really distasteful. So I was just so happy for him tonight.

“You can imagine the pressure he put himself under. Remember how outstanding he was for our football club in the early stanzas, in the early parts of the year to give us solid grounding up near the top of the ladder.

“He had an average game last week, he didn’t like it and him and I had a really good chat about preparation this week. But what a great night for him to withstand that and give great contribution for his teammates and our footy club. I’m really proud of him and bloody disappointed in a few people that were nasty.”

Kane Cornes assumed Beveridge’s comments were directed at him. Photo: Channel 9

Cornes, who was one of the most vocal critics, hit back on Sunday.

“I was critical of Adam Treloar’s body language and his performance last week, and I stand by it,” he told the Sunday Footy Show.

“I’d challenge anyone to go back and look at Adam Treloar’s efforts last week, they were poor, we wouldn’t be doing our job if we didn’t call it out, to the point where he almost gave up in some contests.

“I don’t know if those comments were (aimed) at me. I think it’d be much easier if Luke had the courage to actually name the people he was being critical of.

“It would seem strange if he would bring my wife into those comments after a game, I’d find that incredibly strange.

“But all good coaches stand up for their players and that’s what he did after one of his most famous wins.”

Treloar and Beveridge embrace. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Footy Show host Tony Jones admitted he was “taken aback” by the comments.

“He’s better than that, Luke Beveridge,” Jones said. “I’m pretty sure if he had his time [again], he probably wouldn’t be as volcanic in his criticism of the criticism of Adam Treloar.”

Damian Barrett said that the ability to create a “world against the Western Bulldogs” mentality was “part of the layers of genius of this man as a coach”.