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Sport Nation
Kane Cornes: The AFL Trade Period's "most bruised ego" list
SEN • October 16th, 2025 10:19 am
While some players celebrate securing the deal of a lifetime this AFL trade Period, others endured a torrid time.
Running through a big list of names - including players, coaches and managers - Kane Cornes ranks whose egos would have taken the biggest hit in the last fortnight.
11 – Ben King - he was walking on water when he did the Nasiah deal. It is rare that two clubs with an uncontracted player cannot get a deal done. There’s a bruise to your ego when you’re a manager and you can’t get a deal done.
10 – Dave Trotter - a big player agent group but when you have players like Marshall and Simpkin that put their hand up and want to go and you can’t get it done your ego is damaged.
9 - Justin Leppitsch and Craig McRae – Oliver was free to a good home; Collingwood didn’t even pick up the phone. They couldn’t find him. This is the Collingwood Football Club and no one wanted to go and play for them. They couldn’t get anyone in. Not even Silvagni. What’s going on at Collingwood? They got worse not better.
8 – Sam Mitchell. The recruiting darling, on planes everywhere. He thought he had Merrett done, he’s in the US, waiting for the text. He didn’t get his man. The genius needs to lick his wounds.
7 – Elijah Hollands. He was free, he was a top 10 pick. Any club could have had him. Not one club was interested in him. If he gets a third opportunity at Carlton, this is your last. He has to show he is serious.
6 – Jamarra Ugle-Hagan is a generational talent. What a player. We underestimate how good he is. He has just been traded for pick 74. Gold Coast were the only club that would go near him and he’s cost himself $700k. Bruises all over that ego.
5 – Jack Steele, I’m not sure he has got an ego but in the end the captain of St Kilda, a duel All-Australian has been traded for a 2027 future third round pick. They’ve sacked him really. If he has an ego, it’s bruised.
4 – Clayton Oliver sacked from his club, one of Melbourne’s best ever players. At the peak of his powers there was none better. Largely though his own doing he found himself free to a home. We will see is his career can be revitalised.
3 Steven May – not one club wanted him. His ego is bruised. He needs to look at the way he has carried himself and why his reputation has fallen so far.
2 - Tom Petroro - his ego could not have been damaged any more than it was yesterday. When you tell everyone your client is up for grabs you better get the deal done. Despite his best efforts, he couldn’t get it done and the reputation of his client has suffered significantly.
1 – Jy Simpkin - I reckon he thought there would be four clubs hanging to sign him. Only one club even thought about him and that was Collingwood, they put up a second-round pick, that’s all anyone though the North Melbourne captain was worth. He needs to reflect on where his standing in the game is.
