Former Western Bulldogs champion Adam Cooney has launched a scathing assault on North Melbourne within the wake of the Roos’ resolution to drop Jason Horne-Francis.
7NEWS reporter Mitch Cleary revealed Horne-Francis’ refusal to full a full ice tub restoration was the rationale for his shock omission for Saturday’s AFL conflict in opposition to Adelaide.
Watch Cooney’s feedback within the video above
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It was meant to be the No.1 choose’s first AFL recreation again in South Australia in entrance of household and mates, however as a substitute he might be staying in Melbourne and taking part in at Coburg within the VFL.
Cooney, who performed 250 video games with the Canine and Essendon, urged he wouldn’t have gotten shut to that quantity if he was punished for not doing restoration.
Former Collingwood Brownlow medallist Dane Swan additionally weighed in on Instagram, saying he would have solely performed 17 video games in his profession.
“I think it’s one of the most short-sighted, outrageous decisions that North Melbourne have ever made,” Cooney mentioned on Armchair Specialists on Friday night time.
“If the reports are correct that he has been dropped for not participating in a full-length ice bath, then I probably would’ve played 30 games. Dane Swan would’ve played less than me.
“He had an opportunity to go home and play footy for the first time playing AFL in front of his friends and family, and because he didn’t do an ice bath they’ve dropped him? There has to be more to it, I refuse to believe that’s the only issue.”
Co-host Georgie Parker believes the choice was a fruits of plenty of angle points.
“It has to be the tip of the iceberg for other attitudinal things. It has to be,” she mentioned.
“You’re not actually educating a first-year player on why you need to do this, you’re just punishing him.”
Watch Mitch Cleary’s unique report on Horne-Francis under
Cooney, who like Horne-Francis was a No.1 choose from South Australia, went on to say that the choice might be sufficient for him to stroll out on the finish of the yr.
Horne-Francis is contracted till the tip of 2023, however hypothesis is already mounting over his future after he put contract talks on maintain.
“I know he’s got a few attitude issues, but to get a player offside that much and to not let him go home when he has been homesick for his whole first year, to deny him that opportunity to play in front of friends and family, that could be enough for him to walk out at the end of the year,” he mentioned.
“He’s only a kid, he’s got a lot of learning to do. He’ll look back in five to seven years when he’s matured and think ‘well, I was a bit of a turd in my first year’. Give him a chance to mature.”
Cooney additionally mentioned that potential new North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson could be livid with the scenario.
The four-time premiership coach is favoured to settle for the Roos job with reviews he has been provided a five-year deal.
“Alastair Clarkson would be filthy with what he is seeing at the moment,” Cooney mentioned.
“If he is going to be coaching this side … the first phone call I’m making is to Jason Horne-Francis and saying listen mate, what is going on? What’s happening?
“I want to get you happy, I want you to stay at this club, because he is the guy we want to build our midfield around for the next 10 to 15 years. He just has to stay there.
“He is 18 years old and not doing his ice baths – well maybe he doesn’t want to do ice baths because he doesn’t like to recover that way and feels worse after doing it. Recovery should be up to the individual.”
