Don Pyke opens up about season’s regrets at 2018 Malcolm Blight Medal award night
ADELAIDE coach Don Pyke has opened up about his regrets from season 2018 in an emotional speech to the club’s players and powerbrokers at the 2018 Malcolm Blight Medal at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Friday night.
ADELAIDE coach Don Pyke has opened up about his regrets from season 2018 in an emotional speech to the club’s players and powerbrokers at the 2018 Malcolm Blight Medal at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Friday night.
Pyke stressed that fundamentally, it had to be remembered that he, the coaches and the players were people, and people make mistakes.
But he also said the disappointing season in which the Crows slipped from grand finalist to 12th on the ladder — and the adversity that had been endured — would make both the coaches and the players stronger and better positioned for 2019.
“We’re all people; we’re all humans,” Pyke said. “And we’re all good people. Let’s remember that.
“From a reflection viewpoint, it’s important that we acknowledge that we made some mistakes.
“That’s what humans do.
“In our drive to improve in our program, both in our physical and mental side, in hindsight seeking gains, maybe we pushed too far.
“And that, I regret.
“However from these mistakes, we learn.
“And that’s allowed us to refocus in the last half of the season and finish 6-3 and to plan for our program going forward.”
Pyke also had a swipe at all the negativity that had been surrounding the club this season.
The year has been clouded in controversy from the contentious pre-season camp on the Gold Coast to and injury curse and debate over the effectiveness of Taylor Walker’s capatainy.
But Pyke said that what people on the outside didn’t appreciate was the quality of people within the club.
“You look at 12 wins and everybody … the tsunami of negativity is real, isn’t it, when you look out there,” Pyke said. “But 12 wins for the year actually puts us in a reasonable spot.
“We’re not that bad after all.
“It’s often easy to get swept up in that wave.
“But I know right now the doubters and the negative people out there don’t know the quality of people I’m working with.
“And through adversity you have three choices.
“You can let it define you, you can let it destroy you or you can let it strengthen you.
“I know which one we’ll take.
“So right now I’ll sit here, unlike others, who see obstacles, who see things in the way.
“All I see is opportunity.
“All I see is a chance for us to move back where we belong.”
Earlier in the night, club chairman Rob Chapman declined to address the wave of contentious reports that continue to swirl around the club.
They included interstate reports of more details leaking out of what happened on the camp to the club confirming that Taylor Walker had been sanctioned for a drinking incident in July.
“Enough has been said on the matter and I’m not going to delve into it again tonight,” Chapman said.
“Because that would be disrespectful to the reason we’re here.”