ADELAIDE coach Brenton Sanderson has laughed off talk of tension with Scott Thompson after a heated exchange between the pair in round 21.

At a press conference on Thursday, Sanderson joked he and Thompson were victims of a faulty phone-line last Saturday night after Thompson was captured on the bench throwing the phone away in disgust after a chat with the coach.

After asking reporters if they believed him, Sanderson then admitted he was forced to put Thompson in his place.

"I lost my cool with a couple of decisions he made as a leader, giving away a free kick at a centre bounce, then giving away a 50,  [I] just explained to him I needed more from our senior players," Sanderson said.

"[He] didn't like what he heard so I just had to remind him who was boss."

On the plane on their way back to Adelaide, Sanderson said a jibe at Walker had been taken the wrong way.

During the match, Walker cost the Crows a crucial goal that would have given them the lead early in the final quarter when he gave away a free kick as the ball sailed towards goal.

Sanderson said Walker took issue to a comment he made on the trip home, but that everything had been cleared up - with both Walker and Thompson.

"I jokingly said something to him on the aeroplane that I shouldn't have said, I think he sort of held that for a couple of days," Sanderson revealed.

"He's fine, I love his personality, I love his character and some of those sort of players they do sometimes take things to heart, as all players do.

"Don't worry, Tex is still bouncing around the locker room now like he's Mr. Universe.

"I actually grabbed (Thompson) after the game and we had a bit of a laugh … there are some things are said sometimes on the field, in the coaches box, you just let them go."

While he has had the appearance of man in control of his emotions for most of the year, the rookie coach conceded they got the better of him last Saturday night but that he thankfully resisted the urge to vent in his post-match address.

Sanderson pointed to the dynamic in the coach's box as the key to helping him his feelings in check.


"I was emotional too, I've got to learn how to control my temper at times, I think I do a reasonable job but I can always improve as well," he said.

"I almost let it all out, sometimes it's difficult to bottle up all that emotion and you have to remind yourself to keep calm.

"The coaching group really work well together and sometimes when I'm really up, the other guys pull me back down to earth a little bit and sometimes when I'm a bit flat those boys sort of help me get up."

Forward Ian Callinan described the club's 10-point loss to the Lions as a "wakeup call".

Sanderson admitted a response was needed against Melbourne, but he remained confident that the Crows would threaten in September.

"We still think we're a good side, we've got a lot of fight left in us yet.

"[We] Just don't want to roll off the last few weeks and think, 'you know what? It's been a good season' and that's it.

"Our players still have that spark in the eye, you know? You look at them and there's a real determination that they want to make amends for last week because they let an opportunity slip.

"September's coming, so we've got to make sure we're ready to go."

Harry Thring covers Adelaide news for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.