Kane torches Bombers captain for ‘unbelievable’ sledge reply

Kane Cornes was left “bemused” after Essendon captain Dyson Heppell’s answer to the question everyone wants to ask the Bombers.

Luke Parker and Kane Cornes. Photo: Fox Footy, Channel 9 Sunday Footy Show.

Kane Cornes said it is “unbelievable” Essendon captain Dyson Heppell was unaware of the footage of teammate Dylan Shiel being mocked over the weekend.

It comes one day after Bombers legend Matthew Lloyd hit out at Essendon players for failing to respond to the moment when Sydney Swans midfielder Luke Parker mocked Bombers gun midfielder Dylan Shiel.

Parker appeared to taunt the struggling Shiel by repeatedly shrugging his shoulders after he kicked a long-range goal off the back of Shiel coughing the ball up.

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Speaking on Channel 9’s Sunday Footy Show, Lloyd argued that Parker’s actions were a blatant example of disrespect, and the Bombers should have retaliated accordingly.

Heppell on Monday answered the tough questions as a guest on Fox Footy’s On The Couch and made a passionate statement about how much the playing group cares about its awful start to the season.

However, his response when asked about the Parker taunt left some eyebrows raised.

Heppell said he was yet to address the moment with his teammates and claimed it was the first time he’d seen the taunt when shown on the show.

Sydney Swans midfielder Luke Parker.

Dylan Shiel of the Bombers. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“I had no idea it was happening in the moment,” he said. I hadn’t even seen the vision, that’s the first time. I have no doubt teammates would go over to support.

“Absolutely we support our teammates if the moment’s there and the moment’s right.

“Our brand and our identity wants to be we are playing in the rules, but are playing hard and tough.”

Cornes said Heppell’s comment about not being aware of Parker’s widely-seen jest was “bemusing” — almost 48 hours after the Bombers’ loss to the Swans on Saturday.

“I find it amazing that the captain of the Essendon football club on Monday night hasn’t seen that vision,” Cornes said on Footy Classified.

“Even if he’s not on social media and he doesn’t read the papers, there’s a media manager there whose job it is to brief the players,” Cornes said,

He went on to say: “He’s going on a live TV interview on a Monday night and he hasn’t seen the vision. I find that unbelievable. Maybe that’s a reflection on the whole club and how they are run.

“Dylan Shiel is the most under fire player in the comp right now. And the captain of the footy club hasn’t picked up the phone to ring Dylan Shiel.

“I found that unbelievable.”

Lloyd earlier said: “You never, ever want to be walked over in life or disrespected in any way,” he said on Sunday morning.

Ben Rutten is on shaky ground. Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

“I thought Dylan Shiel was disrespected in a way you never wanted to be treated as a footballer.

“I would’ve ploughed straight through Parker here, got him to the ground and said, ‘You will never, ever treat me like that again’. I’d cannon into him. If you don’t give away a free kick, even better.

“Dylan Shiel isn’t that type of player to do it, but I would’ve loved for someone else to do it on his behalf.

“I think that will be something Ben Rutten will show and say this is how you are viewed Dylan and this is how us as a team are being viewed.

The Bombers were anything but explosive on Saturday evening, managing just 158 disposals and kicking a measly two goals in the second half as they suffered a heavy 14.21 (105) to 6.11 (47) defeat.

Having registered just two wins in the opening nine rounds, the Bombers are currently reeling down at 16th on the AFL ladder.

Essendon will next face the Richmond Tigers at the MCG on Saturday, with the first bounce scheduled for 7.30pm AEST.