Hawthorn should consider dropping captain Ben Stratton and wingman Tom Scully following Saturday’s loss to Sydney, according to Kane Cornes.
The Hawks dropped to 15th on the ladder after their fourth-straight defeat raising more questions about their list and what the rest of 2020 holds.
Four of Stratton’s six disposals against Sydney were clangers while Scully is averaging just 12.6 possessions a game this season.
Speaking on AFL Media’s The Round So Far, Cornes believes a selection shake-up is required at Hawthorn if they are to arrest their worrying form slump.
“I actually think it’s the loss that Hawthorn had to have to understand how bad they are going and the dire need to rebuild that football club,” the Port Adelaide champion said.
“Their older players are out of form, their captain Ben Stratton is badly out of form and hasn’t been sighted, so he probably needs to lose his place in the side. Tom Scully’s the same. You’ve got (James) Frawley, what to do with Shaun Burgoyne? Is there any point playing the champion moving forward?
“They’ve got to somehow get a lot of games into these younger players. And is Clarko willing to do it? That’ll be the question for him at the end of the year.
"But right now, along with North Melbourne and probably the Crows, they’re the three teams that can’t give a yelp this season.”
Cornes believes Clarkson has bigger issues to worry about than criticising Tom Papley after he accused the Swans star of milking free kicks.
“Alastair Clarkson has almost been the master of deflection,” Cornes said.
“Since he made those ridiculous comments that the state of the game was in a dreadful space, how has his side gone? Well, it’s been deplorable.
“Alastair Clarkson has a lot more issues on his plate than Tom Papley getting knocked over by a much bigger man after a goal was kicked."
Hawthorn take on ninth-placed Carlton at Optus Stadium in Perth on Thursday night.