Kane Cornes has launched a scathing review of the trade deal agreed upon by Port Adelaide for key position defender Dougal Howard.
The 23-year-old moved to St Kilda today in a deal which saw Paddy Ryder also make his way to Moorabin.
Cornes added the reluctance for Port Adelaide to listen to their members – who overwhelmingly expressed their desire to keep Howard – means they have lost a player who is a future star.
“This guy is a potential future All Australian defender and the Saints got him for next to nothing,” Cornes said on Telstra AFL Trade Radio.
“It’s time Port Adelaide starts listening to their members because they didn’t want this deal to happen.
“They could see how talented Dougal Howard is.
"Yes, he hasn’t achieved much yet, but go back and look at what most key defenders of that size have done in the first four years of their career.
"It will be Dougal Howard tracking ahead of the likes of Dylan Grimes and players of that calibre.
"Port Adelaide have completey botched this one in my opinon."
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Cornes added the list management at the Power had ‘buckled’ to the demands of St Kilda.
He explained the Power had clearly lost the trade having let go of one of their best key position talents.
“Port Adelaide have let go of a player in his absolute prime,” Cornes said.
“23 years of age, 200cm, 45 games to his name and can play at either end.
“He is a better prospect than Todd Marshall in the forward line. He’s a better prospect than most of their key defenders, particularly the undersized ones in defence.
“Jason Cripps their list manager has absolutely buckled to James Gallagher who is an inexperienced list manager.
“In this deal the Saints have cleaned up.”