Former Adelaide player and host of Footy SA Stephen Rowe has slammed his old club for their “betrayal” of the playing group this year.
The Crows fell from minor premiers in 2017 to 12th this year and at the centre of the fall is the infamous preseason camp put on by Collective Mind.
“The emotional interrogation, to me, was the ultimate betrayal of that playing group, Rowe told Footy SA,” talking about the preseason camp.
“What was said to that playing group, without a shadow of a doubt, is inexcusable.
“The bigger crime, for me, is the management of this issue from that day to where we sit here of Don Pyke, Andrew Fagan and Brett Burton. It was heartless at worst and it was unprofessional at best.
“The disrespect shown to key support staff, to players, to players’ partners, is their biggest failing and here’s the problem. Sorry is not enough. Sorry is not enough to that group.
“It’s Fagan and Burton, their apology, from where I sit and the people I’ve spoken to, wasn’t enough and there was no sincerity in it.
“Players leave on holidays knowing there is a massive problem and here’s the other thing I’ll say, the overwhelming emotion from the players is the club is more interested in their brand and their position, not the playing group.
“What I am willing to say is Andrew Fagan is in charge of all of that and I think while he is there, the sorry part of it, the forgiving part of it, from here moving forward, I think from what I’ve heard, is problematic and problematic for me means change or leave.”
Watch the full segment from Footy SA with Stephen Rowe and Kane Cornes here.