Fierce backlash is coming at North Melbourne following their extraordinary decision to ban of expert AFL commentator Kane Cornes from their rooms after games.

The club has accused the Port Adelaide legend of “inappropriate, vindictive, (and) bullying behavior” after Cornes was critical of two of their stars, Harry Sheezel and Jy Simpkin, on Channel 7’s The Agenda Setters.

But it wasn’t that commentary alone that has got under North Melbourne’s skin, with the struggling club also taking offence over Cornes’ remarks about coach Alastair Clarkson and club president Sonja Hood.

While many — including some of Cornes’ colleagues on The Agenda Setters — think his comments about Sheezel and Simpkin were too harsh, high-profile people in the media believe North’s response is childish.

Veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson — who works with Cornes but has also been critical of his repeated take on Hood — used one brutal word to describe North Melbourne’s response.

“Juvenile,” Wilson said on 7NEWS.

“I actually think it’s quite juvenile ... and quite petty. It doesn’t show great strength to me.”

Even Channel 9 journalist Tom Morris thought the club’s reaction was silly.

“This is so petty,” Morris said on the rival network’s 6pm news.

“All it does is fuel the fire ... it’s incredibly sensitive.”

Cornes said North was playing a dangerous game.

“I think the dangerous part about it is the provocative language (North used),” Cornes said after the ban.

“I think it very much blurs the line. That wasn’t bullying.”

Cornes also thought it showed the club and Clarkson were running away from tough criticism.

“The Alastair Clarkson they thought they were getting (when they hired him for the 2023 season) was the Hawthorn version of Alastair Clarkson where he was strong enough and brave enough to front up and answer that type of criticism face to face and man to man,” Cornes said on Wednesday night.

“For him to run away from criticism like this and essentially not be brave enough to answer it face to face with me in the changeroom is the most disappointing thing.”

Some fans applauded North for the stance, others actually thought it lacked courage.

“Man… That’s weak from North Melbourne,” one fan said after Cornes responded to the ban on social media.

Another said: “bit precious, North😂😂.”

Meanwhile, Cornes also revealed he had been banned from another club.

“I’m banned from the Western Bulldogs,” Cornes said on SEN, with his colleague Gerard Healy adding, “and the West Coast Eagles although I think you’re back now that (Adam Simpson) has left.”

“These things ebb and flow ... the Western Bulldogs wouldn’t have me in their changerooms the other night. This isn’t new,” Cornes said.

Cornes also said high-profile South Australian sports journalist Michelangelo Rucci had told him that he had been banned by multiple clubs over the years.

“It won’t affect anything ... let’s just see if this strategy, if it is a strategy, comes to anything,” Cornes said.