Kane Cornes savages West Coast Eagles over first pick trade rejections

Former premiership player Kane Cornes has taken aim at the West Coast Eagles over reports surrounding the number one pick.

Kane Cornes has taken aim at the West Coast Eagles after reports of trade offers they’ve rejected for the number one pick emerged.

The Eagles hold the top pick in the upcoming AFL Draft with highly-touted youngster Harley Reid the overall consensus first selection.

Watch every match of the 2023 NAB AFLW Season LIVE & ad-break free during play on Kayo Sports. Join now and start streaming instantly >

After the AFL’s Trade Period came to an end, all attention turned to the draft with two teams throwing the kitchen sink at the Eagles for the first pick.

AFL Media reports the Kangaroos made an offer based around Pick 2, adding in two of their later first-round picks – they have 15, 17 and 18 – while getting back picks 1 and 23.

Meanwhile the Demons, who have aggressively traded up in the order, put forward picks 6, 11, 42 and their future first-rounder in exchange for Pick 1.

Both offers were rejected. A move that left Cornes absolutely floored.

Harley Reid is the consensus top pick. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

“Cal Twomey tweeted today around pick one and where it sits and the offers that are coming thick and fast from other clubs for West Coast and Harley Reid,” Cornes said on SEN Sportsday.

“This is what Melbourne has put forward according to Cal, picks 6, 11, 42 and a future first-round pick for pick one and West Coast have said no.

“Are they crazy or do they know something that we don’t? Perhaps that is the strength of this year’s draft being incredibly shallow.

“That seems like an extraordinary offer, three first-round picks and two of those high-end first-round picks plus a sweetener of pick 42. That wasn’t good enough.

“I suspect it will be (eventually). I’ve been adamant that West Coast will trade that and they’d be crazy not to.

“I think that will be around the mark come draft night or closer to it.”

Kane Cornes couldn’t believe the Eagles rejected these offers.

Most analysts believe West Coast should and will trade the pick, primarily because the wooden spooners need more than just one first-round prospect to improve their list, though Reid being Victorian (and thus potentially seeking a move home at some stage) continues to be raised.

Go-home concerns were part of the reason West Coast also traded down the order last year, sending out Pick 2 for what became 9 (Reuben Ginbey) and 14 (Elijah Hewett), who are both from WA, plus two future picks.

The Eagles already knocked back an offer from the Kangaroos of four late first-round picks during the trade period – either 15, 18, 21 and an end-of-first round pick next year, or 15, 21 and two end-of-first-round picks next year.

The 2023 AFL Draft will run across two nights at Marvel Stadium and commence on November 20 before wrapping up on November 21.

– with foxsports.com.au