Crows coach Don Pyke expects Brad Crouch and Rory Atkins to learn from an “error of judgement”, which has seen the pair excluded from AFL selection this week.
After initially being named in Adelaide’s extended squad, Crouch and Atkins were left out of the side to play Gold Coast on Friday night after failing to meet the elite preparation standards required.
Instead, the young midfielders will play in the Club’s SANFL trial on Saturday.
Pyke acknowledged the duo’s indiscretion “wasn’t serious”, but said it was very clear to the players the behaviours expected of the group during the weekend off.
“Our expectations of our players is that we’re going to be elite in what we want, and that was driven by the players,” Pyke said at Adelaide Airport on Thursday morning.
“The leadership group, when they became aware of it, approached me with a recommendation which I fully supported. The recommendation was that they (Crouch and Atkins) would just play SANFL this weekend. I think, based on the nature of the incident, that’s enough.
“For both of those guys, it’s an opportunity to learn and understand that’s not how we’re going to operate as a footy club. Both boys were really contrite and disappointed in themselves. They understand they’ve let themselves down and they’ve let their teammates down.”
The SANFL Crows will take on South Adelaide in a trial game from 11:00am at Football Park on Saturday.
Pyke said it would be an opportunity for Crouch and Atkins to redeem themselves ahead of the Club’s AFL season-opener against North Melbourne on March 26.
“Both (Crouch and Atkins) have had really good pre-seasons, with Brad returning from his foot and Rory (in good form),” he said.
“Both those guys have got the opportunity to play this weekend (and) press their claims for a spot in Round One, and also to learn a lesson from the expectations what we have as a footy club.”
Replacements for Crouch and Atkins for Friday night’s NAB Challenge game will come from within the squad of 27, which must be reduced to 24 prior to the opening bounce.
Pyke said a couple of other emerging onballers were set to benefit from the pair’s absence.
“A few guys will step in. Jarryd Lyons and Dean Gore … we’ll probably get some more game time for Cam Ellis-Yolmen as well,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot of guys competing for those spots. That’s one of the by-products of, unfortunately, disciplinary action is you lose your opportunity to press your claims for the boys not playing, but it opens an opportunity for others.”
Entry to Adelaide’s SANFL trial is free via the eastern side of the ground, near the Crows players’ race. A squad for the hit-out will be named on Thursday afternoon.
The revised AFL squad of 25 is:
4. Josh Jenkins
5. Scott Thompson
6. Jake Lever
7. Nathan van Berlo
9. Rory Sloane
11. Paul Seedsman
12. Daniel Talia
13. Taylor Walker
14. David Mackay
15. Kyle Hartigan
16. Luke Brown
18. Eddie Betts
24. Sam Jacobs
25. Kyle Cheney
26. Richard Douglas
27. Tom Lynch
28. Cam Ellis-Yolmen
29. Rory Laird
30. Wayne Milera
31. Jarryd Lyons
33. Brodie Smith
36. Dean Gore
41. Mitch McGovern
43. Reilly O’Brien
44. Matt Crouch
