Kane Cornes has labelled the current AFL rookie system a “joke”, questioning why North Melbourne were allowed to delist midfielder Jared Polec with a commitment to re-instate him on the rookie list.
Polec has two years left on his lucrative contract and after playing just five games this year, was delisted on Friday.
While the club will re-rookie him and has to pay the final two years of his contract, Cornes said the rookie list should only be used for younger players, not veterans.
“At the time I said it was an irresponsible offer from North Melbourne (for Polec),” he said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“It was a ridiculous offer for a player that has talent but had some issues with his body, I just cannot believe a club could make that error.
“They made some errors in how they handled the delisting of one of their greatest ever players in Brent Harvey and then they went and did this.
“Polec’s first season was OK, his second season not so good and then this year he didn’t play and they’ve delisted him with the commitment to re-rookie him.
“They are committed to pay his last two years of his salary…they can put him on the rookie list. How can it be allowed that they can put him (on the rookie list)? It needs to be designed for rookies that maybe have been overlooked in the draft.
“It’s a joke, there’s so many examples of (this happening).”