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Cornes: Dogs are the “most underperforming side since 2021”
Andrew Slevison • August 25th, 2025 10:36 am
In the eye of Kane Cornes, the Western Bulldogs are the biggest underperforming team of the last few yours.
The Bulldogs missed the chance to lock in a finals spot when going down to Fremantle by 15 points at Marvel Stadium on Sunday - a game they were heavily tipped to win.
Luke Beveridge’s side failed in a cut-throat contest and only a shock Essendon victory over Gold Coast this Wednesday would see them make the eight.
But if the result of that match goes as most expect it would then the Dogs will miss finals, which according to Cornes is a major failure.
Cornes believes the glaring weakness in defence and a lack of quality key defenders will continue to hurt the Dogs until they address it.
“You’ve known my thoughts for four years,” Cornes said on SEN’s Fireball.
“Until they want to defend the ground they’re not going to get anywhere and they’ll get the same results.
“It’s the same results that they’ve got as the most underperforming side since 2021.
“I’m sure Luke Beveridge sits on list management. If he has a say, like most coaches would, and he sees a weakness, then go and get it.
“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.
“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.”
Cornes has repeatedly spoken about the Dogs and how he believes their list is talented enough to play finals every year.
He admits he cannot believe they’ve missed the eight this year with the amount of talent in the playing list.
“I’m going to bite my tongue slightly on it this morning because I can’t repeat myself again for four years,” Cornes added.
“I just cannot believe that a team with this much talent is not playing in September. I can’t believe it.
“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.
“But there’ll be excuses as there always is.”
Cornes then wondered if the Dogs would have re-signed Beveridge midway through the season if they knew they’d miss finals.
Co-host David King is confident he is the right man for the job as he believes the club is somewhat resetting on the run.
“As you say we have had this same discussion for four years,” King said.
“I think it’s the right decision. I understand you don’t.
“I think they have been resetting or rebuilding on the run to try and give themselves another opportunity.
“Flags are hard to win and I do think having won one (in 2016) you get some luxuries with the next opportunity.
“They would know the planning and where they see the list internally. They’re not going to share that with us, but they must have the resetting type discussion there to continue on with Bevo. They must.”
The Dogs will now be hoping that the Bombers, who have lost 12 in a row, can pull one out of the bag when they meet the Suns on the Gold Coast on Wednesday night.
