The South Australian Government’s independent workplace safety regulator has revealed its findings on an investigation into the Crows infamous pre-season camp in 2018.
The camp proved to be a breaking point for the club after the 2017 Grand Final loss, and many players were left wanting a new start at the end of a tumultuous 2018 season.
The findings found that no one at the club nor the club itself breached any work health and safety laws.
SafeWork SA’s comprehensive investigation took over a year to complete and puts the disaster camp firmly in the rear-view mirror of the Crows.
Ran by leadership company Collective Minds, the camp took an extreme approach to try to get the Adelaide players ready for another premiership tilt.
The Age's Sam McClure reported last year that the camp involved players being tied to trees, surrounded by fake weapons and blindfolded.
The report states that Adelaide players were split into three groups and the most senior group were subjected to the most intense experience.
RELATED: Explosive details of Adelaide camp revealed.
Players were reportedly harnessed to a contraption tied to a tree and would have to crawl towards a combat knife to free themselves while nine teammates were told to pull the other way. These players also hurled abuse about childhood trauma and domestic abuse, which was personal information players believe the club leaked to Collective Minds.
The camp was the brainchild by the head of football Brett Burton, coach Don Pyke and senior assistant Scott Camporeale. With all three departing the club after the fallout.
Eddie Betts was one of many key players who left the club after the camp saying he was upset but what he saw as cultural insensitivities.
Former Crow Bryce Gibbs told the Greats with Garby podcast that the players lost trust with the footy department after the disaterus trip.
“We hopped on a bus on the Gold Coast and ended up in New South Wales. I couldn’t even tell you where we were, to be honest. It certainly hurt the group probably more so than I thought it did at the time looking back,” he said.
“I think the playing group lost a bit of trust with the footy department. Obviously a lot of details we weren’t allowed to know going into the camp, we all had to sign waivers just to say we can’t speak about it after.
“It was just strange the way it played out and I think the playing group lost trust with some of the decisions the club was making and some of the decisions going forward.”
