Former Port great Kane Cornes has named Collingwood's Jordan Roughead as the best recruit of 2019.
The premiership Bulldogs defender was traded to the Magpies during the off-season for Pick No. 75 and has been a great asset at fullback, consistently shutting down the opposition's best key forward.
Roughead played a key lockdown role on star Eagles forward Josh Kennedy in Collingwood's upset win on Friday night, keeping him goalless with just five disposals.
Cornes went so far to say Roughead has been a better pick up than Brisbane's Lachie Neale given how little the Pies gave up to get him.
“I wasn’t sure about this guy when he came across from the Bulldogs, he’s played ruck, he’s played forward, he played back, never really established himself a position despite playing in a premiership,” Cornes told SEN’s Crunch Time.
“He has kept arguably the most powerful and dynamic key forward in the game Josh Kennedy to zero goals. Kennedy had seven ranking points. This is because of Roughead.
“A lot of people would say Cornes is kidding himself, Lachie Neale is the recruit of the year.
“Neale has been amazing. They’ve given up picks six and 19 to get him in one of the strongest drafts in 15 years.
“The price Collingwood paid for Roughead, it was pick 75. The Bulldogs have effectively given away Roughead for next to nothing.
“My point is what it cost Brisbane in terms of not only his salary and the picks they gave up, I just think for value and output, Roughead, he’s probably on the minimum footy wage, it’s hard to go passed Roughead.
“Collingwood has turned him into probably equal with Daniel Talia as one of the best shutdown defenders in the competition.
“I reckon he’d be top three in their best and fairest this year.”
