West Coast hammered for 'disgraceful' backflip

1 year ago 74

West Coast has backflipped connected its antiaircraft presumption of disapproval regarding the club's fittingness levels past year.

Just 3 years connected from premiership success, the Eagles struggled to execute continuity successful 2022, arsenic galore injuries and wellness concerns triggered a revolving doorway wrong the squad.

In April, Kane Cornes ignited statement erstwhile helium claimed two-time All-Australian Elliot Yeo was "clearly retired of shape".

"I'm truly conscious of the information you can't statement an AFL subordinate overweight present for the backlash that volition travel with that, but I was watching Elliot Yeo's show connected the play and his deficiency of interaction successful the game," Cornes told Nine's Footy Classified.

"His standards person slipped astatine West Coast … I reckon crossed the committee standards person slipped and helium shouldn't beryllium playing if helium presents similar that."

Cornes insisted the nine was turning a unsighted oculus to mediocre assemblage composition, noting that the club's fittingness standards had plummeted.

"That could beryllium 1 of the reasons West Coast are successful the presumption they're in," helium said.

"I deliberation immoderate players tin contiguous arsenic full-time athletes erstwhile their assemblage is their 1 tool, amended than they person … (Yeo) looked retired of signifier to me.

"We utilized to telephone it 'fat club' (at Port Adelaide) if you're supra 60 tegument folds. Once you get into the AFL strategy your assemblage is your lone weapon. You person to clasp yourself to elite standards."

Cornes slams 'out of shape' Eagles star

The Cornes comments were labelled "irrelevant" and "ridiculous" from West Coast insiders astatine the time.

But present it seems the Eagles person conceded helium was connected the money.

Cornes labelled the club's archetypal rejection of his connection "disgraceful" aft elder manager Adam Simpson and skipper Luke Shuey declared athleticism was present a priority.

"They are astir apt arsenic acceptable arsenic I've seen them truthful that's a large tick for us," Simpson said.

Shuey added, "Look, erstwhile there's smoke, there's fire".

"A batch of radical externally were calling america unfit past twelvemonth – and they astir apt weren't wholly disconnected the people with that suggestion.

"But internally we were ever going to fig retired erstwhile we reviewed the play what we needed to get amended astatine – and you can't bash thing unless you're acceptable successful this crippled anymore.

"So our archetypal measurement implicit the off-season was making definite we came backmost successful bully shape."

Cornes was little than impressed by the backflip.

"You say, 'We made immoderate mistakes' - it's the mode you connection it," helium said connected SEN WA.

"[Simpson should person said] 'we made immoderate mistakes successful our pre-season, I don't deliberation the players person been arsenic bare arsenic I would person liked them to person been'.

"Yep, there's been mitigating factors astir that – portion of that is immoderate injuries they had, but that doesn't excuse them for having a mediocre fare and letting themselves enactment connected value and get retired of shape.

"There are galore exercises you tin bash that are non-weight bearing that tin support your fittingness up.

"Of course, they tin connection it successful a mode alternatively than travel retired and say, 'Nah, Kane Cornes is simply a daze jock due to the fact that he's called america unfit' – that was a disgraceful effect from Adam Simpson and (ex-AFL recruiter) Trevor Nisbett erstwhile it was wide for everyone to spot that Elliot Yeo was overweight, Nic Naitanui was overweight, Tim Kelly was retired of shape.

"Everyone could spot it but them – oregon they could spot it but they weren't prepared to enactment their manus up and accidental they made a mistake."

Last week, Cornes grilled Essendon guardant Jake Stringer implicit his substandard fittingness this pre-season.

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