KANE Cornes is concerned Patrick Cripps may be past his best after the Carlton captain's recent struggles continued in Opening Round.

Cripps was unable to have an impact as the Blues suffered a 63-point loss to Sydney on Thursday night.

The two-time Brownlow Medal winner had just 19 disposals and four clearances as the Blues fell to a disappointing loss.

Cornes, a two-time All-Australian, questioned just what Cripps' main weapon is in the modern game.

"The question is and I'm really concerned that he's past his best," he said on First Up.

"Doesn't say he's not going to be an effective player, but I don't think he's going to be that destructive player that he's been for so long where he's getting 40-odd Brownlow Medal votes not that long ago.

"What's his weapon now? That's what he really has to go to work on."

Cripps' numbers dipped last season, just a year after storming to a record-breaking Brownlow win, with his averages for disposals (24.2) and clearances (6.4) both his lowest since 2021.

The 30-year-old's frustrations also boiled over during the loss to the Swans as he gave away an off-the-ball free kick after a Sydney goal.

"Footy's tough because every year you've got to rock up and prove yourself again, even if you are a future Hall of Famer, even if you've won a couple of Brownlows, even if you've carried this club for 10 years," Cornes said.

"You've got to rock up round one or round zero the next year and prove yourself again."

Cripps and the Blues will look to respond to their first-up loss when they play Richmond at the MCG on Thursday night.