Kane Cornes has expressed serious concerns for two players he believes are under performing.
Brisbane's Cameron Rayner and Hawk Jonathan Patton have caught the eye of the Port Adelaide premiership player and he says they aren't delivering.
The former number one draft picks both failed to impress in Round 2, but both have faced different journeys to where they are now.
Patton was traded to the Hawks after suffering a series a serious knee injuries, while Rayner is still in his development years.
Cornes has queried Rayner's running ability and whether he can make it at the top level.
“I watched him closely last year and I questioned his work-rate and whether he had the work-rate that is required to not only play his position, which I think is the most demanding position on the ground, which is that small forward, high half-forward role,” Cornes told SEN’s Whateley.
“It’s a tough spot to play in, but to be successful you need to work, you need to get to contests, you need to get up the ground, you need to push back hard, he wasn’t working hard enough for me and I questioned that last year.
“I thought he was gifted games. I genuinely thought Chris Fagan gifted him games last year because of his talent.
“Now, early on into this season and just 10 disposals and no goals on Saturday and no influence, it’s one player I just want to watch about how he responds and whether his coach will make a statement at selection for the number one draft pick, regardless of his talent, if your performance isn’t there it shouldn’t be rewarded with selection with where Brisbane want to get to.”
Cornes was a touch more forgiving of Patton given his injury history but has fears of the big mans agility going forward.
“I’m prepared to cut Jonathon Patton some slack. He’s had three knee reconstructions, that’s significant for any player,” he said.
“He’s been put into a new system, the delivery was ordinary, the supply was ordinary on Friday night, but does he have the physical attributes now for a modern key forward to succeed?
“What is his weapon going to be? It isn’t going to be Nick Riewoldt endurance or a Matthew Richardson endurance, it’s not going to be genuine speed and agility like a Ben Brown coming out of the goal square.
“If it’s not one-on-one and he doesn’t get those opportunities, what is Patton’s real strength and real weapon going to be for this Hawthorn side?
“He was sluggish on Friday night, we’ll cut him some slack, but he’s one to watch.”
