Crows coach denies friction talk
Adelaide coach Don Pyke denies his playing group is fractured over a challenging preseason mindfulness camp.
Pyke said the Gold Coast camp in January has given the Crows a “sense of togetherness”, rubbishing reports of player distress and complaints to the AFL Players’ Association.
“This is a space we’re operating in. There’s a competitive advantage associated with what we’re doing,” he said yesterday.
“I’m not going to apologise for us trying to get better. The reality in our world is that training, whether it be physical or mental, there’s components within the program which are challenging.
“All we have done is taken our players and given them an opportunity to get better in the mental space.”
Adelaide captain Taylor Walker reportedly sent a group text wanting to find who leaked details of a camp designed for in-house keeping.
Pyke (pictured) rejected suggestions players were left distraught by the camp.
“None or our players either before or after the camp have spoken to the AFLPA,” he said.
“And our internal discussions with our players is not flagging those things. The majority of players walked away from the camp going ‘wonderful experience, got a lot out of it’.
“And they’re able to now put that into their life and into their football.”
The Crows went on the camp months after last year’s grand final loss to Richmond – a club that hailed the influence of its own mindfulness program in the Tigers’ premiership year.
Pyke said the camp’s program was “well thought through ... resourced with high-quality people”.
“The mental space is a space which I think you’re seeing a fair chunk of the clubs actually working in,” he said.
Walker is a likely starter for tonight’s grand final rematch, but the Crows will be without Tom Lynch (virus) and Richard Douglas (ban). ADELAIDE v RICHMOND, tonight, 6.50pm (AEST)