Port Adelaide legend Kane Cornes has responded to criticism from Western Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains regarding media scrutiny of Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge.
Ahead of the Bulldogs’ dominant 60-point victory over the Saints last Thursday, Bains defended Beveridge against media critics, expressing frustration over what he perceived as personal attacks on the coach.
“The personalization of some of it and the way it’s directed at the coach at times is over the top,” Bains stated in an interview with ABC Sport. “We feel like there’s not much you can do about it other than perform and dispel it through wins and losses, and shift the focus elsewhere.”
When asked about potential pressure on Beveridge to retain his position, Bains dismissed such notions, emphasizing that it was only round five and Beveridge was under contract until the end of the following year.
Criticism of the Bulldogs has been widespread this season due to their disappointing start to the 2024 campaign. In a recent episode of Nine’s Footy Classified following the Bulldogs’ unexpected loss to Essendon, Cornes urged the club to seriously consider parting ways with Beveridge.
Beveridge’s decision to drop premiership defender Caleb Daniel and demote Bailey Dale to the starting substitute before the match raised eyebrows. Additionally, Beveridge’s post-match press conference drew criticism for what some saw as contradictory messaging to his players.
Fox Footy commentator Brad Johnson, who also has ties to the Bulldogs, admitted that Beveridge’s communication style could sometimes be unclear.
In response to Bains’ remarks, Cornes defended his previous comments, asserting that his critique was based on the Bulldogs’ poor performances and not personal animosity towards Beveridge.
“If questioning their defensive actions, if questioning the number of goals they concede consecutively, if questioning bizarre selection decisions — if that’s personal, come on,” Cornes stated on Footy Classified. “That is not personal criticism, that’s professional criticism and that criticism stacks up.”
AFL journalist Caroline Wilson disclosed that she had received communication from the Western Bulldogs, indicating that Beveridge was not the sole spokesperson for the club.
Despite the controversy, the Bulldogs managed to level their record at 3-3 with a resounding victory over the Saints, providing some relief amid the scrutiny.