The Blacktown Sun, which appears to have a direct line to GWS Giants HQ, is passing around the rumour that GWS very interested in Chad Cornes, who is projected to become a Port Adelaide delistee at the end of the season.
Now, if GWS are signing players not good enough to play AFL for Port Adelaide, then there is still hope for Roar regulars Oikee and Queenslands game is rugby league to kick-start their AFL career.
That said, Chad Cornes is not an appalling footballer.
He will provide a somewhat hard body at the back of the GWS defense, and is therefore probably worth a roster slot and minimum wage.
The Blacktown Sun notes that while Cornes isn’t getting game-time at Port Adelaide this year, interest seems to be coming via GWS assistant coach Mark Williams.
Williams coached Cornes to the 2004 premiership before joining the Giants as Kevin Sheedy’s right-hand man last year.
Strategy-wise, a couple of experienced delistees isn’t an appalling strategy by GWS, who will therefore get to hide their talented young players in the reserves for more games, letting them build up age, body mass and experience in the magoos.
If these warm bodies play for minimum wage, as they should, then GWS will be able to dodge a salary cap hit, build good young recruits, and enable the establishment of cap room in years three through five of the new club.