"The trade Melbourne will regret not doing for years"

Melbourne’s list mismanagement has been fully exposed in the opening three rounds of the season, according to Kane Cornes, with the club now 0-3 after defeat to the Suns.

The club is in the midst of an identity crisis after suffering consecutive 50+ point losses and while many are pointing the finger of blame in the direction of coach Simon Goodwin, Cornes has his sights firmly on the more experienced members of the playing group.

“They can’t run,” Cornes said on SEN’s Fireball. “If you can’t run at speed and get out of the contest then you’re in trouble.

“(Christian) Petracca can’t run, he’s amazing in the phone box, in the contest Nat Fyfe style, around the ball unbeatable. (Clayton) Oliver cannot run, to see him exposed as he has been the first few weeks of the season. If you can’t run, you can’t play.

“Some of the body language was awful, Steven May’s was awful.

“I was adamant they should have traded Oliver, if you can get off that contract then get off it … give a pick with it. Take that contract and that problem that is Clayton Oliver off my hands.

“The salary cap implications with that deal for Oliver and everything else that comes with it, you just cut your losses.”

Melbourne were totally outplayed by the Suns, finishing -16 for clearances, -18 for contested possessions and -25 for inside 50s.

Their 0-3 record for 2025 echoes their horror season of 2019 when they finished 17th and things aren’t about to get any easier for Goodwin’s team with a trip to GMHBA next on the fixture.

“Where’s Max at? Is it unrealistic that someone in their mid 30s can play to that level,” Cornes continued. “How many minutes has Max played in the ruck in the last four seasons?

“They’ve worn this guy (Gawn) into the ground with no help and it’s starting to show on him.

“Giving (Jack) Viney an extension he probably didn’t warrant. All these mismanagement decisions that they have made that’s pretty hard to get out of now.

“Harrison Petty, the biggest miss of any club ever, that they didn’t trade him for what Adelaide were offering was unbelievable. It would have been a top 10 pick they were offering.”

After losing to the Suns by 58 points, the winless Dees currently sit 17th with a percentage of 62.7.

It doesn't get any easier with a trip to GMHBA Stadium to take on Geelong on Friday night.