Cult-like Crows training to continue

ADELAIDE will not abandon its contentious “Collective Mind” program as Crows chairman Rob Chapman defends the chase for a new, powerful mental edge in sport.

“There is not much more than incremental gains we can make today in physically improving our players,” Chapman said yesterday.

“But when we are told we are using just 5 per cent of the mind’s capacity, it would be negligent not to explore how we can unlock the potential of the mind.”

The Collective Mind program, also used by NRL club South Sydney, continues to be used at Adelaide amid extraordinary claims from the Crows’ pre-season camp on the Gold Coast.

Chapman described some of the statements made of the camp — that includes claims of having “cult-like” elements that challenged the players’ mental strength — as “noise from second or third-hand reports from people who were not on the camp”.

But he conceded there were elements of the camp that could not be tolerated because they offended the club’s indigenous players — in particular star forward Eddie Betts — and the Aboriginal culture.

“We acknowledge the terminology used did offend some of the Aboriginal players,” Chapman said.

“It was taken as offensive to their culture and their heritage. That is bad. And it has been rescinded from the program.”