Collective Mind camp court drama: Age journalists forced to apologise

The Adelaide Crows’ Collective Minds camp was a complete success, and thankfully two Nine Newspapers journalists have withdrawn allegations to the contrary, writes Graham Cornes.

“Bring it on.” Award-winning Melbourne journalist Caroline Wilson was typically defiant in her regular spot on FIVEaa when informed that Collective Mind directors, Derek Leddie and Amon Woulfe had initiated legal action against her, fellow journalist Sam McClure, The Age newspaper and the Nine Network.

The healing process began with the appointment of Matthew Nicks. Yesterday’s announcement definitely helps that process. That’s what “Bring it On” looks like.

Leddie and Woulfe had finally run out of patience with the continued speculation, wild rumours and blatant misinformation that had been perpetrated upon them, predominantly, but not exclusively by Melbourne-based media. So they did indeed “bring it on”.

The controversy around the Adelaide Crows’ Collective Mind camp can be laid to rest. Picture: Getty Images

The result was a spectacular back-down by the media outlets and the two journalists who settled, rather than have their allegations tested in court. Media outlets the size of the Nine Network and The Age newspaper do not back down easily and often intimidate litigants with the enormous cost of drawn-out legal battles.

However, it was obvious to any fair-minded observer that the reputations of Leddie and Woulfe had been unfairly traduced by a four-year ordeal of unfounded allegations. So, after “lengthy legal discussions” they settled and agreed to pay all legal costs to the Collective Mind directors and, more importantly, withdraw the publications.

It was never about money for Leddie and Woulfe. Both are good men – highly principled with the best interests of their clients at heart. For over two years they were heavily invested in the Adelaide Football Club’s success and played an integral part in the team’s performance.

Former Adelaide Crows Head of Football Brett Burton and then-coach Don Pyke both lost their jobs in the camp fallout. Picture: Getty Images

Then came the humiliation of the 2017 grand final loss to Richmond. How could the Crows, the overwhelming favourite going into the game; the team that had thrashed Richmond in their previous encounter, capitulate so meekly?

Despite the urgings of Leddie and Woulfe, the club did not address the grand final loss before the players’ post-season exit interviews, a mistake that coach Don Pyke later admitted. When a review was eventually conducted the key failings identified by the club were: a lack of leadership on the day, a lack of resilience and poor team connection. Independent analysts also made the observation that poor team selection was a factor in that the Crows were too top heavy and couldn’t match Richmond’s frenetic ground-level pressure.

However, it was deemed that the collective mindset of the players was the major failing on the day.

The Age’s Caroline Wilson has been forced into a backdown. Picture: AAP Image

The Age journalist Sam McClure

Accordingly, a pre-season camp was convened early in 2018 with the underlying themes of “resilience, emotional openness, healthy masculinity and the warrior spirit.”

There was no indication that the camp had been anything other than a complete success in the immediate aftermath - although not every player enjoys the rigours of pre-season training camps. Nevertheless, the endorsements from the players were glowing.

It’s hard to understand how the stories from the camp became so wildly exaggerated and blatantly incorrect but some areas of the media fed on it and fuelled further misinformation. The club adopted the attitude of “never explain, never complain” but its reluctance to defend the allegations made matters worse. Nor could Leddie or Woulfe, bound by the confidentiality of the agreement with the club, comment publicly.

So the issue festered to the point that the club initiated not one but two investigations, as did the AFL’s integrity unit.

Greens MLC Tammy Franks spoke about the issue in parliament. Picture: Dean Martin

Then came the grandstanding and misuse of parliamentary privilege by Greens MLC, Tammy Franks who demanded an investigation by SafeWork SA which eventually was forthcoming. It was a ridiculous misuse of resources, but the state’s top regulator of workplace safety found there was no breach of the workplace safety act and no further action was required. It was a conclusive vindication for Collective Mind who have now called on Ms Franks to withdraw and apologise for her wild allegations.

At least the two media outlets have apologized. “The Age apologises and expresses regret if the publications caused hurt and offence to Mr Woulfe, Mr Leddie and Collective Mind. The Age has withdrawn these publications”, reads part of the statement published in the Sunday Age this morning. Channel Nine will publish a similar statement on its Wide World of Sports website.

This should be the end of this sorry four-year saga. It provides an opportunity and clear air for Woulfe and Leddie to resume their previous work: “Mindset coaching is about performance not pathology and what we each do is complementary to an athlete’s performance and wellbeing.

Our approach works time and time again to improve people’s lives, and that’s what matters”, said Leddie in Woulfe in a pointed response to those psychologists who claim sole provenance of athletic mind training and had jumped on the bandwagon of criticism.

Collective Mind chief Derek Leddie. Picture: Dylan Robinson

It will be interesting now to see the reaction of Caroline Wilson and Sam McClure. Hard-nosed journalists do not easily back down or concede defeat. For now, they have been cowed by the capitulation of their employers but it’s only a matter of time before the sniping begins again.

In the meantime, Leddie, Woulfe and Collective Mind have been vindicated. They confronted the media giants and prevailed. “We are really proud of ourselves for standing up to people in high positions of power, and large organisations with very deep pockets”, said Woulfe and Leddie. “We were truly asked to live what we teach through this, and we reached for our mindset tools and mental training time and again throughout these past four years.”

However, only time will tell if those deep wounds have healed. I suspect it won’t be long before some elements of the Melbourne media who love to amplify the difficulties of the non-Victorian clubs, start picking at the scars once again.

But for now the calumny that damaged the club, cost individuals their jobs, caused supporters to question their club and indeed, split the state, has been exposed.