Kane Cornes and Garry Lyon attack Melbourne Demons over an eye-opening accusation.
The Melbourne Demons’ culture has been called into question following a series of off-field events.
Kane Cornes has thrown a scathing truth bomb to the Melbourne Demons, disputing the AFL club’s claim that there is no cultural problem at the football club. The Demons, who have been plagued by a series of off-field issues in recent weeks, sent an astonishing open letter to supporters on Monday, addressing controversies involving key players Clayton Oliver and Joel Smith, as well as coach Simon Goodwin.
Smith has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for cocaine throughout the season, while Oliver’s future is uncertain following concerns about his off-field behavior. The midfielder, who is under contract until 2030, was also brought to the hospital earlier this month for what the club described as a “medical episode”.
Goodwin has also had to dispute frequent rumors that he took illegal narcotics. The Melbourne coach says the club does not have a cultural problem, dismissing some of the recent drama as “isolated incidents” – a notion Cornes has seriously questioned.
The Port Adelaide great believes that while he understands the Demons’ reluctance to discuss Oliver’s off-field troubles for privacy and to protect the player, he questions why they would reward the 26-year-old with such a huge contract. Cornes’ remarks came after the Demons acknowledged that Oliver has faced “his own challenges for the entire time he’s been at the club,” prompting a quick reprimand from the AFL commentator.
“You don’t give eight-year, multimillion-dollar deals to players, and then ask them to only meet the minimum standards,” Cornes said in an interview with SEN. “They aren’t the first and certainly won’t be the last club to sever a long-term contract, but the consequences might be disastrous.
