Kane Cornes lists the 10 worst AFL contracts right now

Kane Cornes has listed what he believes to be the 10 worst contracts in the AFL right now.

Cornes is not necessarily blaming the player for these, but is pointing the finger at the club in question.

“These are the worst current contracts,” Cornes said on AFL Trade Radio.

“This is in order (from 10th worst to the worst).”

10 - Tim Taranto (Richmond)

“‘Turnover Tim’ comes in at 10 with seven years.

“They gave up Pick 12 and 19 to get him.

“Since his recruitment Richmond has finished 13th and last and he missed eight games this year.

“He is at 10 because he gives extreme effort, he’s pretty consistent and he plays to his maximum capability.

“But the recruitment of him was ridiculous at the time to give up two first-round draft picks for him. It was the wrong time to do that.

“His performance has been fine, but the contract was ridiculous and the Tigers gave up the two first-round picks when they should have absolutely been taking those picks to the draft.”

9 - Jy Simpkin (North Melbourne)

“Jy Simpkin hasn’t started his five-year extension which he signed with a year remaining on his contract for what I believe would be huge money.

“You’ve got this guy playing half-forward, out of position, struggling to impact games, has ball use has been poor this year.

“He’s a far better player when he plays midfield. Credit to him when he goes in there, he’s able to have an impact.

“But has this group of young midfielders gone past him? That’s going to be the question for Jy Simpkin and North Melbourne. Are you going to have to find a role for him play? I don’t think it’s half-forward.

“Are Simpkin’s attributes suited to the way that their football will be played? This contract is a big elephant in the room for North Melbourne and it hasn’t even started.”

8 - Callum Mills (Sydney)

“He signed a six-year deal in 2022.

“He’s 27, he’s contracted until the end of 2029. Only five of his nine seasons at the level has he played 20 or more games.

“He played just seven this year, he had the shoulder issue from the Mad Monday stuff, he has had soft tissue struggles along the journey and issues with his body.

“Is he in Sydney’s best 22? Yes, he was injured for the Grand Final, but did his performance warrant him to be in Sydney’s best 22?

“That’s a problem when you’ve got a guy contracted for this long, he’s the captain, and you’re starting to question whether or not he’s in your best side.”

7 - Brennan Cox (Fremantle)

“Six-year extension that has not kicked in yet.

“At his best he's a very serviceable intercept defender.

“At his worst, when he's asked to play on someone like he had to with Jesse Hogan this year, he gets bullied, and he's not a good one on one defender.

“So that's a long, long time, six years.

“Only nine games this year and once again has had issues with his durability and his body.

“He would be one that would have got a huge price on the trade table if the club was bold enough to trade him to Adelaide when they were really interested in him.”

6 - Darcy Parish (Essendon)

“Essendon tried to be a bit funny with this and a bit cute with Darcy Parish.

“It was reported to be five years, but it's really six.

“Once again, the midfield accumulators that lack speed and explosiveness, what is their role in the way that the game is played now?

“We saw what Will Ashcroft did, we are seeing what Nick Daicos is doing, we are seeing what Jason Horne-Francis is doing. We're seeing the way that Hawthorn play with their explosiveness and their running power.

“Paris just doesn't have that. 12 games this year, a couple of calf issues, which would be a concern at his age.

“Six years for that contract still to come for for Darcy Parish.”

5 - Jacob Hopper (Richmond)

“He’s contracted until 2029 they gave up a first-round pick and Pick 31.

“He's played 28 games in two years, he's often injured, has five years left on this contract which they invested heavily in and like Parish are his attributes suited to the most damaging players right now?

“I think he burns the football far too often, he's definitely lost a little bit of speed, and that would be due to the confidence issues with his soft tissue stuff.

“That's nothing but a disaster, that contract at the Tigers.”

4 - Jordan Ridley (Essendon)

“Number four is strange, but it's Jordan Ridley because of the way that this was handled.

“He was already contracted until the end of 2026 and Essendon went, ‘You know what? We're feeling generous today. Jordan, would you like an extra three years for no reason? We'll just give you an extra three years to take you until 2029 when you already had until 2026’.

“So three years left at the time that they gifted him this extension. He's ripped his quad a couple of times, nine games this year. They are nasty injuries those quad issues, and I don't suspect the soft tissue stuff is going to get better with age.

“That's one of the more bizarre ones I've ever seen Essendon and that comes in at number four for that reason.”

3 - Sean Darcy (Fremantle)

“At number three, it's my man Sean Darcy.

“His contract hasn't started yet, would you believe?

“They just chucked on six years when he already had 12 months remaining. He’s contracted until the end of 2030.

“He's played 27 games in the last two years. He's not a forward as much as they're going to have to play him as a forward at times because their best ruckman is Luke Jackson, who they've also invested heavily.

“If anyone has to have a big pre-season, it's that man at Freo. He needs to come back and make a serious statement, and the pressure will start to rise on the list management and that decision.”

2 - Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs)

“Aaron Naughton has the longest contract in football, until 2032, eight years.

“He was beaten by Lachie Bramble, Bailey Williams and Taylor Duryea in this year's best and fairest.

“That's a disaster.”

1 - Clayton Oliver (Melbourne)

“Clayton Oliver's is the worst contract I've ever seen.

“Until 2030, six years, $10 million left.

“A deal of that magnitude and that length would have get to get sign-off at Board level.

“(Manager) Nick Gieschen and Oliver, well done to them. Hats off.

“The club thought it would be a smart move to sign a high-maintenance player with medical issues and off-field issues.

“Since he signed the contact has it worked? You’d have to say no.

“It’s been one of the greatest disasters in the history of list management.

“Melbourne could end up paying large portion of Oliver’s contract for him to go and play for a premiership contending team in Geelong after doing similar, but to a far lesser extent, with Brodie Grundy.”