'Right to be livid': Carlton gun savaged by controversial former star
Carlton’s star midfielder Charlie Curnow has ‘let down’ his club and their fans with his second serious off-field knee injury in nine months, premiership player turned media commentator Kane Cornes says.
Curnow is rehabbing after suffering a broken patella which he sustained slipping on stairs at his home back in November.
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It’s the third serious knee injury the young gun has sustained in the last nine months, but only one of those happened during an actual AFL match.
Since injuring his knee against Fremantle in round 15 last season, Curnow also missed time after dislocating his patella playing basketball with friends in October.
His latest mishap was so serious even Carlton haven’t been able to place a firm timetable on his return, with the 23-year-old likely to miss at least half of the 2020 AFL season.
Cornes, in an article for SEN, said Blues members and fans were ‘right to be livid’ over what he believed was irresponsible behaviour from Curnow.
“I’ll be shocked if he’s back in the AFL side before July,” Cornes wrote.
“Curnow played only 11 games in 2019 due to injury, yet thought it was a good idea to play basketball in the off-season where he dislocated his already troublesome right knee, which required surgery.
“Then, in November, the club said Curnow accidentally slipped on tiles while walking upstairs and sustained a separate fracture to his right patella. The club says the two injuries are unrelated.
I just have no idea how the hell people think @kanecornes view on Charlie Curnow is wrong? These players are not even close to full time professional athletes. It’s a joke really! This is their job! Why is it so much to ask they only play and train what they are paid well to do!
— Matt McLean (@partyyzz) February 9, 2020
“What we do know is that the Blues' most talented player will hardly feature this year, due to injuries that have nothing to do with playing football.
“Curnow, 23, earns upwards of $800,000 per year.
“The Carlton fans who inject thousands of dollars into the Carlton coffers each year have a right to be livid.
“Curnow has let his club, teammates and supporters down.”
