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Keep or purge: Which Demons would Cornes keep or trade?
SEN • August 18th, 2025 11:29 am
Melbourne could have some big calls to make this off-season.
Amid the hunt for a new senior coach to replace Simon Goodwin, there remains a lot of uncertainty around the playing list.
SEN’s David King asked Fireball co-host Kane Cornes which of the Demons he would keep our purge ahead for 2026 and beyond.
King: “If you were taking control of the Melbourne Football Club at the end of this season - because coaches are going to have to sit at the front of a panel and answer this question - keeping Christian or purging Christian Petracca?”
Cornes: “I’m keeping Christian, I’m purging a whole heap of others.”
King: “What if I give you a first-round pick for him?”
Cornes: “Nah, I’m keeping him.”
King: “What if I give you a first-round pick and a future second?”
Cornes: “I’d think about an extraordinary deal for him, but he’s the one I’d like to keep.”
King: “Clayton Oliver?”
Cornes: “I told you last year, they should have given pick for a club to take his wage.
“They should have paid for someone to take him.
“Gone.”
King: “Bayley Fritsch?”
Cornes: “Trade him. I really would.”
King: “Jacob Van Rooyen?”
Cornes: “No. I wouldn’t trade Van Rooyen.
“He’s a young key forward with some talent and they need forwards.”
King: “Jaker Lever?”
Cornes: “I’m happy to keep Jake.
“I don’t want to keep Steven (May). He’s been a great player but I think it is time to move past him and turn over a new leaf.”
The Demons, who sit 14th with a 7-15 record, finish their 2025 season with interim coach Troy Chaplin at the helm against Collingwood at the MCG on Friday night.
