Channel 7’s chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary has poked the bear with a loaded question to Kane Cornes on Monday night’s The Agenda Setters.

Filling in on the panel, Cleary showed vision of rising superstar Sam Darcy contesting the ruck late in the Western Bulldogs’ 79-point smashing of Richmond on Sunday.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Luke Beveridge slammed for Sam Darcy move.

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Of course, risking the game’s superstars in the ruck is a pet peeve of Cornes, and Cleary knew exactly what he was doing when it was his turn to ask a question in the popular segment, The Spill.

“Luke Beveridge is putting his job on the line with one stubborn move?” Cleary asked Cornes.

As soon as the question was asked, AFL great Nick Riewoldt said, “Oh don’t ... oh don’t.”

And Cornes remarked: “You’ve come in hot.”

The feud between Cornes and Beveridge is well documented and things escalated this year in Round 11 when Beveridge had words to Cornes — who was working for Seven — at a game in Geelong.

Cornes has been a regular critic of Beveridge and believes the 2016 premiership coach has underachieved despite having a team stacked with talent.

Taking the bait, Cornes remained true in his belief that some players should be kept out of the ruck.

At 208cm, Darcy is certainly ruckman height, but he seriously injured his knee earlier this year and has only just returned to action.

Darcy was rated the No.1 player in the competition before he went down in Round 6 — and Cornes believes it is pointless playing Darcy in the ruck.

“It’s a great observation, Mitch,” Cornes replied to Cleary’s question.

“(Beveridge) has just signed a new contract but if Sam Darcy gets injured in the centre bounce, sack him, sack Luke Beveridge for this decision.

“Look at the score, and you are risking football’s hottest commodity, the league’s best player, two weeks back from a serious knee injury in the centre bounce when you are 65, 70 points up.

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“What are they doing?

“If he gets injured doing this, sack the coach. That’s how serious this is. Put Aaron Naughton in there, he can’t can’t buy a football (at the moment).

“Leave Sam Darcy in the goalsquare. You can risk Aaron Naughton at the centre bounce. Just a ridiculous coaching move.”