Kane Cornes Uncovers Matt Rowell’s Suns Situation as Rival Clubs Eye Opportunity

Kane Cornes has expressed the view that Matt Rowell’s covert meeting with Geelong over the off-season indicates that the prominent Gold Coast midfielder is “clearly not happy” in his current situation.

Reports suggest the Cats met with Rowell in Melbourne’s bayside area back in October. The Age has since reported that both Collingwood and Essendon are also taking an interest in the Suns’ superstar.

The 23-year-old Rowell is under contract until the end of 2025, with Geelong suggesting he could potentially become their next star midfielder as they strive for further premiership glory.

While Geelong is known for its unapologetic pursuit of top talent, Cornes has voiced concerns about the implications for the Suns.

“I’m not quite sure what this indicates about Matt Rowell. He’s definitely not happy,” Cornes stated on SEN radio on Wednesday.

“It certainly seems he isn’t envisioning his future with the Suns. If he were content, there would be no reason for him to be meeting with another club during the off-season in October, just a year before his contract ends.”

“When you’re satisfied, you’d expect that you’d be discussing an extension with your current club instead.”

Since being picked at No.1 in the 2019 AFL draft, Rowell has made a significant impact, playing 85 matches and establishing himself as one of the league’s most promising midfield talents.

Cornes suggests that Geelong has been strategising their approach towards Rowell for quite some time.

“This strategy aligns perfectly with Geelong’s model,” he explained.

“What I admire about their recent acquisitions is that each has been a high draft pick and they’re all at an age that suggests they have a decade of football left in them.”

Cornes has commended Geelong’s approach to scouting established talents a few years into their AFL careers to sustain their ambitions of regular finals appearances.

“Look at players like (Tanner) Bruhn, Ollie Henry, and Bailey Smith; they all possess a wealth of footy ahead of them,” he remarked.

Bruhn, who was taken by the Giants with pick 12 in the 2020 Draft, joined Geelong in 2023 along with former Collingwood star Henry.

Meanwhile, during the 2024 trade period, Bulldogs midfielder Smith signed with the Cats.

Cornes added, “Geelong’s method of acquiring high-quality top draft picks who have already put in the hard yards at their previous clubs is commendable.”

“They come into the club ready-made after being developed over four or five years at another franchise. That’s a fantastic approach.”

If the Suns are open to a trade, Geelong is likely to have to part with their first-round draft pick in exchange for Rowell.