“Zero excuses left”: Cornes doesn’t want to hear Dogs’ fixture woes

Kane Cornes doesn’t want to hear any more excuses for the Western Bulldogs.

The AFL fixture for 2027 shows that the Bulldogs have copped the third hardest draw despite finishing the 2026 home and away season in eighth spot before winning a wildcard final.

SEN’s Sam Edmund also pointed out that they have a fair bit of travel to do in the first part of next season.

“If you're the Western Bulldogs, keep your Samsonite by the front door,” Edmund said on SEN Breakfast.

“There is no point unpacking the luggage if you're the Western Bulldogs. They get Freo in Perth right off the bat. They cop the Adelaide double - Round 3 against Adelaide into Gather Round against Port Adelaide.

“They've got Canberra (against GWS) in Round 6. Ballarat’s back for them as they want. That's Round 7, a home game, but it's out of Melbourne.

“So five of their first seven are out of town. And we're told that despite finishing eighth, they've copped the third hardest draw.

“So, I'll ask you a question - do you think the AFL looked at Western Bulldogs’ trade period and said, ‘you have nailed this trade period, you're going to get Sam Darcy back, you've got the best player, you've addressed your ruck concerns, you've got a key defender, you're a darn good team - we're going to hit you with a hard draw’.

“Because their performance on field didn't exactly warrant it.”

The Doggies have been knocking on the door for the last few years, but after recruiting Zak Butters and filling a defensive hole with Jordon Butts, the time is now.

That is according to Cornes who doesn’t want to hear of any fixture excuses ahead of 2027.

Cornes said: “But is it that hard (a fixture)? Don't they stay at home for the last seven weeks of the season or something ridiculous?

“Let's not be too sympathetic to these Victorian teams who do not really travel when it comes to the other interstate teams.”

Edmund countered that: “It's not just about travel. Yeah, they got six of their last seven in Melbourne, like you say. But it's not just about travel.

“They've got double ups against top eight sides ion Adelaide, Melbourne, Hawthorn. They get GWS who are a commodity that can blow hot or cold. They get the Saints twice.

“They don't have a double up against a bottom five side.”

It prompted a back and forth between the pair on the plight of the Dogs.

Cornes: “We look at the difficulty of the draw thinking that the teams that were good in 2026 are also going to be good in 2027.”

Edmund: “Looking at it like this stacks up, that's what the fixture nerds and boffins will tell you.”

“but they also are one of only three clubs to have two five-day breaks the Western Bulldogs so It's not an easy draw.”

Cornes: “I’m hearing excuses already.”

Edmund: “They might finish top four. I'm not making excuses for them. I'm just giving you the facts.”

Cornes: “There are zero excuses left for the Western Bulldogs. You don't have any left.

“Don't give me your list. Don't give me anything. You have now got five of the best 15 players in the competition. You play your last six of seven games at home.

“Excuses, none. There isn't any left. We've used them all in the last five years, ten years, however long. No more.

“Okay, so don't give me Salty Bulldog rubbish that you're gonna come up with, that our list doesn't have the depth or we don't have role players or we got injured or our draw.

“Excuses, none, done. There's none left. Good try.”