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SELECT 👉 Bay Oval commentary
Cornes: What Essendon’s “ridiculous” offer can do for Weddle
SEN • October 23rd, 2025 11:37 am
Essendon has reportedly put forward an eye-watering offer to Hawthorn’s Josh Weddle.
AFL Media’s Cal Twomey reported on Wednesday that the Bombers had tabled a seven-year deal believed to be worth $10 million.
It’s an offer that has been described as “ridiculous” by Kane Cornes who also does it see it as an opportunity for the 21-year-old to position himself strongly at the Hawks.
It might even make the Hawks pay much more for his next contract with his current deal expiring at the end of 2026.
“The offer is ridiculous, it is,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.
“I love Josh Weddle, I think he has the prospect of being the best player in the league which I said in his first year. But he’s played 60 games and it would make him Essendon’s highest paid player.
“I don’t think they think they have a realistic chance of getting Josh Weddle. What it does do it makes him start to think about his future and what he will earn at Hawthorn versus what he can at another club.
“It’s big money and even if he stays at Hawthorn, it forces them to pay a whole lot more than they would have. There’s dual benefits here. Of course if they can get Josh Weddle they would love to do it out of contact.
“But if not and if he stays, then his management can use this as a negotiating tool to get a couple hundred thousand more per season than what he would be on.”
Cornes also had a message for the league’s young guns when it comes to signing contracts prematurely.
“If you’re a young player and you’re talented, just do not sign a long-term deal because you’re going to come across these sorts of offers,” he added.
“Because there’s just not that many players out of contract. We’ve spoken about Zak Butters, Sam Walsh is going to get paid a big fee, as is Ben King.
“But if you are young, like Nick Watson just signed. He didn’t need to. Imagine if ’The Wizard’ had let his contract wait until the end of this year. I said the same thing about Riley Thilthorpe and Sam Darcy - they cost themselves millions. Nate Caddy is another one.
“Just hold off. You’re going to have Tassie there, you’re going to have other clubs that want to make a big statement to offer you ridiculous money, and this is what happened.
“But whilst I detest the long-term deals and the money being thrown around for players who haven’t quite proven themselves, a part of me kind of likes this from Essendon.”
