Kane Cornes was shocked with how Carlton used star midfielder Patrick Cripps in their 44-70 loss to Geelong on Saturday.
While he already had to battle through a troublesome foot injury and Cats stopper Mark O’Connor going with him around the ground, Cornes believes Cripps’ task got even harder when coach David Teague put him in the ruck.
“Why is he rucking?,” Cornes asked on AFL.com.au’s The Round So Far.
“He had a fitness test before the game on the ankle he hurt last week.
“We know he’s had back issues at the start of the year, and they’ve put him in the ruck.
“I don’t get why you would put your captain, your six-year, $6 million man in the ruck.”
Cornes went as far as to say it was the “dumbest moves” he’s seen this year with the midfielder asked to do tap work.
“He’s been sore all week, and he’s not having an influence, he’s hardly had an influence all year,” Cornes added.
“He had just four kicks and 98 metres gained, it’s one of the dumbest moves I’ve seen all year to put your most valuable asset – or certainly one of your most valuable assets – in the ruck.”
While he proved his fitness for the Cats game, Cornes believes now is the time to give the banged up Cripps a rest.
“It exhausted him…he looks to me he needs a rest,” Cornes said.
“He’s sore, slow to get up, looks banged up and perhaps they need to give him a week or two off.”
Carlton face Collingwood next Sunday at the MCG.