West Coast coach Adam Simpson labelled Kane Cornes “irrelevant” in defending midfielder Elliot Yeo from criticism.
Cornes called out Yeo’s appearance during the side’s loss to Port Adelaide on the weekend, saying on Footy Classified that standards have seemingly slipped at the Eagles and that the midfielder looked out of shape.
Simpson was strong in defence of his player.
“To be honest I haven't read anything that Kane Cornes has written or heard anything he's said, so irrelevant is what comes to my mind about what his opinion is,” Simpson retorted.
“Elliot Yeo has not played football for the last two-and-a-half years, really. He's had osteitis (pubis), he had a calf injury, he got knocked out at the start of the second quarter, he's played two games this year.
“I think that's a little bit unfair if that's the criticism on him. He's played 12-13 games in the last 40. He's working really hard. I'll back him and it's still irrelevant.”
Cornes stood firm on his comments despite the criticism.
“The best coaches support their players. No issue with Adam Simpson doing that. My response to that would be perhaps he’s missed so much football because he hasn’t prepared himself,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.
“Maybe you are less likely to get osteitis pubis if you’re carrying less weight and you’re putting less pressure on your body.
“Perhaps as you get older, you need to trim down a little bit and lose that weight. I think there would be a case to make with that.
“The second point is, just because you’ve missed footy it doesn’t excuse you from what you eat and I’m sure he can ride a bike and have non weight bearing aerobic activity that can keep him in shape.
“I just reflect on my own experiences and the best high performance managers I played under and they were so strict on skinfolds and diet and one of them was Darren Burgess.
“It’s not surprising that Taylor Walker, after not playing for eight months, and he’s come back looking as fit as you’ve ever seen and he’s kicked 12 goals in three weeks.
“Are we too scared to question the way players look because in America … Bill Simmons hosts the most popular sports podcast in the world, Zion Williamson is the first draft pick from a few years ago (in the NBA) and he’s called him fat.
“I’m not saying we go down that path, but if you’re a full time professional athlete, I think we have the responsibility, and fans do as well, to call it out. And I don’t think Elliot Yeo is in shape, is my point.”
When asked about taking skinfolds at his club, Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell said it was a factor in the overall picture of trying to maximise performance.
“Skinfolds is one element. What we’re looking at is ‘what is this individual player’s best chance to perform at his best’,” Mitchell told SEN Breakfast.
“Looking at his health, looking at his mental skills, looking at his overall performance, we look at all of those things for every individual player and then as always try to get perfection.”
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