Kane Cornes has moved to call out Melbourne’s commentary on Kysaiah Pickett, with the Port Adelaide great believing the Demon sees his long-term future away from Victoria.
Pickett’s future has been much-speculated in recent weeks. The 21-year-old is contracted for 2023, but it’s his future beyond that is up in the air.
Despite this, Port Adelaide is reported to be campaigning to lure Pickett to the club, and Melbourne list manager Tim Lamb was forced to refute suggestions his star small forward could be on the move.
“Any talk about Kozzie leaving is absolutely ludicrous,” Lamb told reporters on Monday morning.
“We love Kozzie; Kozzie loves us. There’s been no discussion about that. All Kozzie talks about is how much he loves this footy club. We’re a bit baffled about all that stuff – just crazy talk.”
But Cornes wasn’t having the spin, believing that speculation will further ramp up when Pickett’s contract comes to an end in 2023.
On Lamb’s comments, Cornes – speaking on AFL Trade Radio’s The Early Trade - said: “That’s a lie.
“Kozzie Pickett has perhaps been telling Melbourne that he loves Melbourne, but he’s been telling a lot of other people that he’s pretty keen to get his way out of Melbourne.
“Clubs certainly in South Australia believes that Kozzie Pickett is gettable. It won’t be this trade period but certainly this time next year, the talk around Kozzie Pickett will ramp up.
“So perhaps he’s naïve in that or perhaps he’s spinning his way out of it, but there’s certainly some uncertainty about Kozzie Pickett’s future at Melbourne with where he sees his long-term future.
“So I’m going to call that one out.”
The Power Hall of Famer added: “It’s no reflection of Melbourne (as a footy club), it’s just more where he wants to live and where he sees his long-term future.”
Pickett grew up in Western Australia but relocated to South Australia and represented the state in his draft year.
He’s played 62 games in his time at Melbourne since being taken with a first-round pick in 2019 and averaged just shy of two goals a game in 2022 to be the club’s second leading goal kicker.