“How about someone else step up?”: Why Cornes thinks Curnow is unfairly treated

Kane Cornes thinks Charlie Curnow is unfairly treated by fans and the media whenever he has a bad game.

While Curnow is coming second in the Coleman Medal on 56 goals, just two behind Jesse Hogan on 58, his performance in the 84-81 loss to Collingwood brought him under the spotlight after he was held goalless largely by Pies skipper Darcy Moore.

As it was the first time Curnow had been held goalless since last year’s Elimination Final, Cornes thinks that he’s held to too high a standard as many forget he’s been the most consistent and productive key forward over the last three seasons where he’s claimed back-to-back Colemans.

“Charlie Curnow gets smashed,” Cornes told SEN Sportsday.

“Every time Carlton loses or he doesn't play well, he is the poster boy, he is unfairly treated.

“Charlie Curnow, from where he has been when he slipped over in the shower or hurt his knee playing basketball, whatever it was, to where he is now hardly missing games (has been huge).

“He has been I would imagine the most consistent key forward in the last three years.

“Yet, he doesn't kick a goal one week and he gets smashed. Or if he has a poor finals series, he gets smashed.”

Cornes thinks the pressure needs to instead be put on Curnow’s teammates who are nowhere near as consistent as him as he feels the forward, captain Patrick Cripps and midfielder Sam Walsh often carry the team to victory.

“How about someone else step up at Carlton?” Cornes asked.

“How about we go, ‘Sam Walsh, Patrick Cripps and Curnow have carried this team on their back for three years, any chance someone could step up other than those three?’.

“That’s my observation. I just think Charlie Curnow is a star. I would have him in my team in a heartbeat. I would love to go and support him and watch him largely produce week after week.

“But the minute he has a poor game, he is absolutely smashed and I think that is unfair.”

Curnow will hope to rebound when the Blues face the Hawks in a crunch clash at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.