'Scandal has clubs nervous'
"I'm sure this is going to make a lot of other clubs nervous too," warns Crows coach Brenton Sanderson
ADELAIDE coach Brenton Sanderson says his club isn't the only one feeling the pinch in the fallout of the Kurt Tippett scandal.
While Carlton has been ordered by the AFL to count superstar Chris Judd's lucrative deal with Visy in its salary cap, Sanderson said every other team in the competition would be going through its books checking if they have anything to worry about.
Speaking at his side's first official day of pre-season, Sanderson predicted there would be some "nervous" club administrators around the country.
"I probably shouldn't comment on other clubs, but I'm sure this is going to make a lot of other clubs nervous too," Sanderson said.
"There's a lot of greyness surrounding ASAs (additional services agreements) and how players are paid and stuff, so there's probably the other 17 clubs are just double checking and ensuring that everything's above board."
Amid reports of unrest in the Adelaide camp, Sanderson insisted his group was as tight as it had ever been.
A former player was anonymously quoted on Monday claiming the squad was angry and unsettled because of the way Tippett had treated the club and the manner in which its name had been dragged "through mud".
But the coach, who on Monday began his second pre-season at the helm of the Crows, refuted such claims and said most of the players had already moved on.
"This has been something that they're going to have to work through…we'll certainly get through it [and] from a coach and playing point of view [it's] certainly business as usual," he said.
"There's different emotions amongst the boys, some are probably going to carry it for longer than others - the disappointment.
"But most of the guys I've spoken to one on one have [said], 'You know what, we're fine, we've got this'.
"The spirit amongst the playing group is outstanding. It doesn't feel like there's any disappointment amongst the playing group so much that you can notice it."
Sanderson was an assistant coach at Geelong when the now infamous deal with Tippett was struck in 2009, but will be forced to deal with whatever punishment the AFL decides to hand out to the Crows when the hearing is held.
But Sanderson said he didn't feel betrayed by the club.
"Not so much," he said when asked if he had been let down by the club's actions prior to his arrival.
"The last 12 months I've been here I've had nothing but great support from management, administration and everything I've asked for I've pretty much got.
"I've got a great working relationship with those people and that will continue and I'm sure those guys will sort out what they have to sort out."
The other innocent victim is delisted player Nick Joyce who, with Tippett forced to remain a listed player, was squeezed off the club's list so it could make the mandatory three changes.
Sanderson said his plan was to hand Joyce's spot back to him at Thursday's NAB AFL Draft.
"He's a bit of a victim of circumstances to be honest, but he's been really mature about it for a 19-year-old in his second year…we've all but guaranteed him he's going to be on our list for next season," he said.
"That’s not an issue for him, or us, or his management…we're very sorry for the way he's had to play this out.
"That wouldn't be our preference (to rookie list Joyce), but it is an option but he's a listed player and we hope to get him back on the list."
Harry Thring is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.