Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane has slammed Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett after his recent comments surrounding the state of the expansion club.
In a recent interview with the Herald Sun, Kennett described the situation at the Suns as a “tragedy” on the back of another turbulent season that saw them lose former co-captains Tom Lynch and Steven May during the trade period.
GOLD COAST WILL BECOME A “DESTINATION CLUB”: COCHRANE
“I don’t know what his angle is and I quite frankly don’t understand his position at all,” Cochrane told SEN’s Time On.
“I have to say, I think it’s wrong for any club president to be having a cheap shot at any other club.
“I don’t believe it’s the right place for any club president to be having a go at another club, so I think it was really poor form.
“It’s funny how when people make comments and they obviously don’t have a very good memory, because it’s a good thing that perhaps in the early days of the VFL in the 1930s and the 1940s that the VFL didn’t have that same attitude to a club called Hawthorn.
“Because Hawthorn, to the best of my knowledge, only won 23 games in their first 10 seasons, so on his criteria the Gold Coast Suns are positively booming.”
Cochrane took another swipe at Kennett who stated the on-field struggles of the Suns are a reflection of the capacity of the club’s board.
“It only strikes a chord because I don’t think it helps the AFL industry when one club is having a go at another club - I think the tragedy is his comments,” Cochrane added.
“I think most fans out there – even Hawthorn fans – would say that’s completely inappropriate and out of place.
“He had a go at our board – I’d suggest if you held a gun to his head and made him write down names of at least two of my board members who he’s met – he wouldn’t be able to put down two names.
"These are really great flamboyant comments and if you’re trying to keep yourself relevant I guess you jump in the media anyway you can."
Gold Coast finished 17th with just four wins in 2018.
Listen to Tony Cochrane's chat on SEN's Time On with Sam McClure in the player below