AFL great Kane Cornes was bitterly disappointed with North Melbourne’s Jaidyn Stephenson’s performance against his former side Collingwood on Saturday.
While the 23-year-old was ultimately subbed out of the game in the fourth term with a lower-back injury, Cornes believes Stephenson is unwilling to do what it takes to make it at the top level.
Pointing to several contests at the start of the last quarter that led to Collingwood goals and ultimately aided the come-from-behind win, Cornes says the former NAB Rising Star “refuses to accept” any form of body contact as a defender.
"He refuses to accept any contact in the game now." @kanecornes calls out Jaidyn Stephenson's poor efforts late in the Kangaroos' loss to the Magpies, saying he'd 'almost go as far' as suggest they cost North the game.#9AFLSFS | Watch on Channel 9 pic.twitter.com/4KcjzvVCK4
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) July 10, 2022
“One player I was really disappointed with yesterday was Jaidyn Stephenson, particularly early on in the last quarter,” Cornes said on Nine’s Sunday Footy Show.
“I’m going to show three efforts here which I think could’ve cost North Melbourne the game.
“He too easily goes to ground, some players are tougher than others, we know that, but he refuses to accept any contact in the game now.
“This is him in defence where he just doesn’t want to play on anyone, (Beau) McCreery is his man, he doesn’t get it but Collingwood get the goal from Jamie Elliott where it could’ve easily gone to his man.
“This one once again, you’ve just got to defend if you want to be there, (McCreery) walked through the tackle and he (Stephenson) is physically not up to the standard.
“I expect him to lose his place in the side next week.
“He’s been a disappointing recruit considering the money and the years that he got at North Melbourne.”
Stephenson is currently two years into a five-year contract worth a reported $500,000 a season, and Cornes pondered whether he’s taking his football seriously five seasons into his career.
“It’s on him,” Cornes added.
“I’d almost go as far as to say it did cost them the game, those efforts early on in that last quarter were so deflating.
“I’d love to ask him, ‘Have you put on any size since you came into the system? What have you done to develop your body? Are you taking it fully seriously and professionally?’.
“We know he had the incident with the mountain bike prior to the start of the season where he broke his hip.
“Is he doing everything he possibly can to maximise his talent?”
If Stephenson is deemed fit, he may earn a chance to redeem himself when the Kangaroos face the Tigers at Marvel Stadium next Saturday.
If he is axed to the VFL, he’ll face Richmond’s VFL side on the same day at Arden Street Oval.