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Find your Sport Nation frequency“Settle him down”: King and Cornes debate Perkins form
SEN • July 18th, 2025 10:43 am
David King and Kane Cornes have vigorously debated the recent form of Essendon’s Archie Perkins.
The no.9 pick from the 2020 draft has struggled to impact consistently in season 2025.
Perkins had 16 disposals in Thursday night’s 48-point loss to GWS but his impact was not where some expect it to be.
The 23-year-old has been moved around and used as the sub while also being subbed off of late, making it difficult for him to fully find his footing in Brad Scott’s side.
On SEN’s Fireball, King and Cornes debated the situation surrounding Perkins.
Cornes: “He had an unbelievable opportunity last night. Starts in the centre bounce.
“Bombers fans have been asking why don’t you play Archie Perkins on-ball? He started pretty well, had a couple of touches early.
“But his contest stuff is so far off the mark. There’s a lack of energy and urgency.
“Little things like when you need to put your head over the footy, pick it up, don’t try to toe-poke it forward. I see too much of that.”
King: “He’s out of confidence.
“Why’s he doing that? (Because of a lack of confidence).
“So get him going.”
Cornes: “He’s starting centre bounce. What else do you want?”
King: “If you keep telling someone they’re no good, starting them as sub, subbing them out, dropping them, they’re going to be no good.”
Cornes: “What if they’ve just moved past him?”
King: “They haven’t moved past anyone. Have you seen how they’ve been going?
“Settle him down.”
Cornes: “You think if he’s going any good he wouldn’t be playing in the side every week?”
King: “He’s got a role to play.
“They’re throwing him around that much that how can you have any real continuity?
“30% mid, 70% forward. 40% mid, 60% forward. 60-40, 100% forward, 50-50, 20% mid, 40% wing.
“Settle him down! Some players can’t handle that (being thrown around).”
Cornes: “If there’s a ball there to be won, just put your head over it and pick it up.
“He’s not thinking about, ‘Oh gee, Brad is playing me forward, oh now I’m midfield’.”
King: “Of course he’s not, but he’s out of form because he’s being thrown around.”
Cornes: “The footy is there - put your head over it and win it.”
King: “I get that, but you only play instinctive footy like that when you’re seeing it well, when you’re on and ready to go, when you’re in good form.
“Players play differently when they’re in good form to when they’re struggling. Absolutely they do.”
Cornes pondered whether Perkins might benefit from a fresh start elsewhere.
The conversation morphed into Essendon’s overall drafting in recent years which includes the names of Ben Hobbs, Nik Cox, Zach Reid and Elijah Tsatas, among others.
Cornes: “Does he (Perkins) need a change of scenery? Does he need a new club?”
King: “Essendon can’t afford to lose him. He has to be a product for them going forward.
“They’ve got too many high draft picks that they’ve got question marks on. What’s happening with Hobbs, what’s happening with Perkins?
“Cox is probably not going to be there. What’s happening with Reid? Tsatas?… The pressure is enormous.
“Surely they’re all capable AFL players.”
Cornes: “Unless they’ve completely butchered their drafting.”
King: “Got them all wrong you reckon? Every high pick?”
Cornes: “They didn’t get Reid wrong. Clearly his body has been a factor there.”
King: “Six out of seven they got wrong?”
Cornes: “It’s looking that way. They haven’t got it right.
“I’m not saying they can’t have a role to play in this side moving forward, but they’re not going to be stars of the competition, are they?”
King: “I think it’s too easy to give up on them.
“Why can’t he (Perkins) play half-back? Play Mason Redman at half-forward for a while.”
Cornes: “Whenever he plays he’s got to improve his contest and his intensity.”
