Kane Cornes slams ‘absolutely ridiculous’ contract offer to Esava Ratugolea

Former AFL player turned media personality Kane Cornes has been left in disbelief after a club’s reported offer to a Geelong star.

Ratugolea is being chased by two teams. Picture: Mark Stewart

Kane Cornes has been left in disbelief after hearing trade rumours surrounding Geelong’s Esava Ratugolea.

The Cats utility has found himself in the centre of the trade rumour mill with two clubs said to be chasing his signature.

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Port Adelaide and Hawthorn are said to be hunting his services with the Hawks the early front runner after tabling a reportedly monster offer.

The Herald Sun reported that if Ratugolea nominated Port Adelaide as his club of choice, the Cats would likely ask for the Power’s future first-round pick in return.

SEN reported on Wednesday that Hawthorn, which has ample cap space to work with this off-season, had offered Ratugolea a contract worth around $5 million over seven years in a bid to boost its key defensive stocks.

Cornes couldn’t believe what he was hearing with the reported offer flooring him.

“I nearly fell off the treadmill … when I heard from (SEN journalist) Sam Edmund … this morning about Hawthorn’s offer for Esava Ratugolea,” Cornes said on SEN.

“Ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.”

Esava Ratugolea is a man in demand. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

The deal which would net the 25-year-old more than $700,000 per year saw Cornes liken his current form to Port Adelaide’s Aliir Aliir in his early years.

“Could he do what Aliir Aliir has done for Port Adelaide?” Cornes asked.

“I thought Aliir used to make a lot of mistakes when he played for Sydney, but he doesn’t really make those brain fade-type mistakes now.”

While chasing the money is the easy option, Cornes warned Ratugolea that his move to Hawthorn wouldn’t be a walk in the park.

“He’s not going to be in as good a side as what he is at Geelong if he goes to Hawthorn. He’s going to be under the pump,” Cornes said.

“Do Hawks fans want (Sam) Frost and Ratugolea in the same backline? I’m not sure.

“Certainly not at (that money) for seven years.”

Ratugolea is being chased by two teams. Picture: Mark Stewart

Western Bulldogs legend Brad Johnson added: “It’s big coin, a huge deal.

“The pressure comes with that and he’s not there (as a player) yet.”

Ratugolea played 16 AFL games this season, averaging 8.9 disposals and 5.6 spoils per game, while his 2.8 intercept marks per outing were the second-best at Geelong, behind All-Australian Tom Stewart.

The AFL Trade period begins on Monday October 9 and closes on Wednesday October 18.