Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes has slammed the Western Bulldogs for missing finals, saying the team has too much talent not to play in September.
The Bulldogs lost by 15 points to Fremantle yesterday, and if Gold Coast beats Essendon as expected, the Dogs will miss the top 8, finishing the season just outside in ninth spot.
The Dogs' only hope of making finals is if Essendon, who is sitting in 15th position and has lost 12 games in a row, beats Gold Coast on Wednesday night.
Cornes has said the Western Bulldogs' expected ninth-place finish isn't good enough considering how solid their list is.
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“I just cannot believe that a team with this much talent is not playing in September. I can’t believe it," Cornes said on SEN Fireball.
"To think that the Giants, with their injuries, and Gold Coast are going to play finals ahead of the Western Bulldogs just blows my mind."
Since their 2021 grand final appearance, the Dogs have lost two elimination finals in 2022 and 2024, and missed the finals in 2023 due to a loss to 18th-placed West Coast, who recorded only three wins for the season.
Cornes said Dogs coach Luke Beveridge doesn't have the 'want to defend', which is part of the reason they're missing finals.
“I think the list management would be saying, ‘we can’t do a whole lot more’. You’ve been blessed with the father-sons that you’ve got; there would be teams out there who would kill for it," he said.
“But until we have a coach who wants to defend, then you’re going to get these results. That’s just the reality of it.”
Dogs coach Luke Beveridge conceded in his post-match press conference after their loss to Fremantle that there was 'a lot of disappointment' after missing finals.
The Bulldogs will be hoping for a miracle on Wednesday night when Gold Coast take on Essendon at home.