Cornes lauds the performance of key Giant against Curnow in season-defining win

GWS defender Jack Buckley was immense in his side’s 116-104 win over Carlton on Saturday night at ENGIE Stadium.

With Sam Taylor still sidelined, Buckley had the big job of a one-on-one matchup with Coleman leader Charlie Curnow and he kept the gun forward to just one goal which came late in the fourth quarter when the game was already won.

Curnow’s return of 1.2 from eight disposals was his worst from a goal-kicking perspective in 2024 and Kane Cornes described Buckley’s defensive performance as unbelievable.

He was glad to see the lockdown backman stick to his role which played a huge hand in the side’s win.

“How good has he been? I love the defenders that actually defend one-on-one,” Cornes said on AFL.com.au's The Round So Far.

“I’m seeing defenders zone off, get cheap kicks and want to be that interceptor.

“How about you just put your magnet next to the opposition’s best key forward and beat him?

“This was an unbelievable display with no Sam Taylor and Leek Aleer looked vulnerable … he was badly beaten and was subbed out with (his matchup) Harry McKay kicking five.

“If not for this guy (Buckley), they probably lose by four goals, he was unbelievable.

“He was so angry to concede that goal. With no Sam Taylor, Buckley was huge tonight.”

As Curnow was beaten by Buckley inside 50 for most of the night, Cornes would have liked to see the star forward push further up the ground to get involved in chains, allowing him to impact in other facets.

“Buckley was just enormous on Curnow,” Cornes said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.

“I’d just love to see when Curnow is beaten like that for him to be able to get up the ground.

“But they’re really reluctant to do that. They had a lot of winners all over the ground, the Giants.”

Curnow will hope to rebound next Saturday when the Blues face the Dogs at Marvel Stadium while Buckley will hope to do another lockdown job next Sunday against Richmond at the MCG.