Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
It is on the public record that Channel 7’s AFL expert Kane Cornes loves a list but hates a long contract … so the following list of “contract crimes” makes perfect sense.
Cornes notes that his latest list follows the official departures of Bobby Hill and Tyson Stengle (from Collingwood and Geelong respectively) who were bother under contract but weren’t playing due to personal issues.
The AFL Players’ Association insists long contracts for players are not an issue.
“The length of a contract is a really important lever in attracting players to come to your club,” AFLPA chief James Gallagher recently said, but Cornes — and many fans — are astounded by the length and dollars of certain contracts to underperforming players.
In introducing his list of “contract crimes” on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters, Cornes applauded the players and the managers.
“Credit to these players, I’m thrilled for them. They got paid, they got paid big money, well done to their managers, they get their 3 per cent, but tonight’s countdown is contract crimes. Those players getting huge bucks that need to lift,” Cornes saod on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.
No.10: James Peatling, Callum Ah Chee, Isaac Cumming (Adelaide)
“These three, huge money, long-term deals. Yes, (Ah Chee’s) been injured, good player. He’s got like five years. (Peatling’s) on like $700,000 to be a tagger. (Cumming’s) on huge money, just scraping into the best 22. They’ve got a lift there at Adelaide, big investment, low performance so far.”
Peatling – four years at end of 2024. Ah Chee – five years at start of 2026. Cumming – six years at end 2024.
No.9: Darcy Parish (Essendon)
“No surprises … he’s playing VFL, Darcy. Like six, seven years, 900-plus. Come on, he’s got to lift. Come on, Darcy. Lift.”
Parish – six years at end of 2023
No.8: Jack Lukosius (Port Adelaide)
“Jack Lukosius, 950 for Lukosius … Hodgie (Hawthorn great Luke Hodge), 950 … Like that’s double what you would have got throughout your whole career. Like what is going on? Come on, lift, lift. Jack Lukosius.”
Hodge: “I can’t argue.”
Lukosius – six years at end of 2024
No.7: Mac Andrew (Gold Coast)
“I think he’s going to be good, Mac. I think he’s going to get there. But nine years, a million-plus right now. I just need less 50 metre penalties, more intercept marks, and a bit more leadership from Mac.”
Hodge: “I can understand Mac’s contract.”
Andrew – five-year extension at end of 2024 with performance triggers for an additional four years (valued at up to $12 million)
No.6: Noah Balta (Richmond)
”2032 … 2032 for a sort of bash and crash ruckman. They don’t know whether to play him back or forward … That’s an absolute disaster … wouldn’t get a game at Hawthorn, wouldn’t get a game at Fremantle.”
Balta – seven years at the end of 2024
No.5: Ben McKay and Harry McKay (Essendon, Carlton)
“The McKay twins … Now, I think Harry’s (contract) is better than Ben’s. I think it’s better … but a million-plus, five years for these two, underperformers, they need to lift. These are the contract crimes.”
Dale Thomas defended Harry noting he was a Coleman medallist in 2021.
Ben McKay – six years at end of 2024 (approximately $5 million). Harry McKay – seven years at the end of 2022
No.4: Mattaes Phillipou (St Kilda)
“Mattaes is on a million-plus, (7NEWS sports reporter) Tom Morris tells me. A million-plus … Young kid, emerging. Probably worth $550, probably. Not a million-plus. And I think even the Saints fans, my friends, would agree with me on that.”
Phillipou – two years at the end of 2025 (reportedly valued at $1 million per year).
No.3: Miles Bergman (Port Adelaide)
“No one talks about Miles Bergman, but they wanted him to stay, so they paid him a million dollars-plus. He touches the ball 14 times a game. I don’t know what they see (in him) … Put him back, I think … settle him back.”
Bergman – two years in 2025 (reportedly worth around $1 million per year).
No.2: Max King (St Kilda)
“At 2, it is the one and only Max King. I’m starting to feel a little bit sorry for him. I want him to get better. I want him to get healthy. But St Kilda takes the criticism for that contract.”
King – six year extension at end of 2024 (reportedly worth around $1-$1.2 million per season).
No.1: Luke Davies-Uniacke, Griffin Logue, Jy Simpkin, Cam Zurhaar, Nick Larkey, Tristan Xerri, Colby McKercher (North Melbourne)
“At No.1 we’re going big. So let’s go to the next page on the Roos. All of them. All of these need to lift. So the Kangaroos tell me, oh, no one leaves our club. The reason no one leaves is because you pay them overs to stay. Griffin Logue’s on huge money. Simpkin 2029. Zurhaar … Xerri 2031, he can’t even play in the ruck. Larkey can’t kick a goal from 30 metres out directly in front. And Colby, I think, is going to be good but right now, 850-plus for Colby (is too much).”
Davies-Uniacke – seven years in 2025 (reportedly $1.3 mill a season). Logue – five years in 2023. Simpkin – five years in 2023 (reportedly $1 million a year). Zurhaar – five years in 2024. Larkey – five years mid 2023. Xerri – two-year extension in 2025 to take him through to the end of 2031. McKercher – two years in mid 2025.
