Carlton Chief Executive Steven Trigg has moved to reassure Carlton fans, stating Kane Cornes' comments that Patrick Cripps could be leaving the Blues are "just a furphy."
In an interview on SEN Hungry for Sport on Thursday morning, Trigg urged Carlton fans not to worry about Cripps' commitment to the Blues.
“The first thing is I was looking out the window this morning at Patrick as he returns to full training, and he’s motoring really well. We are very confident he plays in round one,” he said.
“As for all the other (rumours), to be honest it’s just a furphy.
“He is genuinely welded to Carlton and life in Melbourne ... so I’m not sure where Kane's dragged that one from, but we’re aiming to keep Patrick, don’t worry.”
Cripps' manager Matt Bain also shut down the rumours, telling AFL.com.au they are baseless.
"There’s absolutely no truth in the rumour whatsoever," Bain said.
"Paddy has ambitions to be captain of the Carlton Football Club one day."
"He's singed on until 2019."
This comes after Kane Cornes' explosive comments on SportsdaySA yesterday.
“The bidding war around Nat Fyfe ... They are three Melbourne clubs: St Kilda, Hawthorn and Carlton,” Cornes said.
“He potentially could stay … they’re trying to keep him, but they’re also coming up with a plan B. They don’t have the contract of Matthew Pavlich, Aaron Sandilands gets paid a lot of money, it’s probably his last year, if they lose Nat Fyfe they have a bucketload of cash to spend.
“Mitch McGovern will feature in that contract debate, they’ll try and get him, but one other player, and he plays for Carlton, is a very good chance of heading home, that is Patrick Cripps of the Carlton footy club, their next captain-in-waiting at Carlton, potentially wants to move home.”
The possibility of a trade could prove difficult for Fremantle as Fyfe is a restricted free agent at the end of this season. Cripps on the other hand is tied to Carlton until 2019.
