Kane Cornes believes the AFL has erred in handing North Melbourne so much assistance in recent years.
The Kangaroos received Pick 3 in this year’s draft in exchange for departing free agent Ben McKay who joined Essendon on Tuesday.
It’s another helpful addition for North who had already been given three extra first-round draft selections spread over two years, as well as the two future draft picks (to be traded) and the two extra list spots they received in 2022.
Cornes feels the Roos have been given massive ‘overs’ with the McKay compensation which came after they were already earlier assisted.
“What I’m a little bit surprised about with this Pick 3 is that the AFL agreed to give North Melbourne this compensation package before this compensation for McKay was handed down,” he said on AFL Trade Radio’s The Early Trade.
“North got three extra first-round draft picks across two years as part of the AFL assistant package designed to help them get off the bottom.
“That was before this. Should they not have waited until after the compensation for McKay came in because clearly everyone would think that is well and truly overs.
“So, to have the last two number 1 picks in the draft and then to have the number 2 and 3 picks in the space of three years on the back of everything they’ve already had before that due to underwhelming finishes, and they’ve also had a whole heap of top-10 picks.
“I don’t think they’ve deserved the compensation pick that they got last month with the three first-round picks, plus this.
“This is enough, Pick 3 is enough. That is already over, that is way more than any other club has got when you package up everything in the previous years.
“Then to go an extra three first-round draft picks on top of Pick 3 is ridiculous. They AFL should have waited until they knew McKay was leaving, until they knew North weren’t going to match, and then decide that they also need three first-round picks on top of Pick 3.”
Cornes also believes there is plenty of pressure on McKay to perform, especially due to the fact that he has been given a lucrative six-year deal by the Bombers.
“It think the pressure is there already,” he added.
“When you accept a big deal and you go to a club whose supporter group is impatient for success, you have to play better than what he has played.
“To this point he’s been an underwhelming player, in my belief. He’s played in eight wins, he’s not All-Australian, his best and fairest finishes are disappointing, his body has let him down.
“It is a big gamble in terms of what Essendon has paid. Not in terms of the price that they’ve paid to get him from a draft point of view because it’s free, but when you give a big long-term deal to a player who has been disappointing, the pressure is there.”
At this stage, North will be taking Picks 2, 3, 15 and 21 into the 2023 draft, plus a number of later selections.