The Cairns Post

Power defensive pair called out

- SIMEON THOMAS-WILSON

PORT Adelaide assistant coach Chad Cornes has provided a blunt assessment of Aliir Aliir and Tom Clurey’s games against the Western Bulldogs, saying the two defenders’ contest and intent to defend “was nowhere near where it needed to be”.

The Power claimed a big win over the Bulldogs on Friday night but Cornes said he wasn’t happy with how his two key defenders played.

Aliir started on Bulldogs star Aaron Naughton, and struggled against him in the opening half, before Clurey took on the match-up.

“Last year in the prelim they tried to do a role on him and take Aliir out of the play so we decided to put him straight to Naughton, our best defender on their forward,” Cornes said. “I didn’t love Aliir and Clurey’s games, to be honest. The rest of the backline battled but those two would be the first to admit that their contest and intent to defend – the way planned during the week – was nowhere near where it needed to be. So we will need a strong response from those two this week.”

Cornes said Aliir and Clurey were aware of his thoughts, and were both disappoint­ed in their performanc­es.

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