Wife of Crows CEO says it was Jake Lever’s decision to skip the best-and-fairest on Friday night

THE wife of Adelaide Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan says allegations the club told Jake Lever not to attend Friday night’s best-and-fairest are wrong and it was Lever’s call to skip the event.

Crows fans greet Jake Lever and his teammates after the grand final loss to Richmond. Picture: Tom Huntley.

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THE wife of Adelaide Crows chief executive Andrew Fagan says allegations the club told Jake Lever not to attend Friday night’s best-and-fairest are wrong and it was Lever’s call to skip the event.

As the Crows move on a trade for the wantaway defender from Monday, Alana Fagan told Triple M radio that Lever was invited and he turned his back on attending.

“From my understanding, and I’m not a club spokesperson but I do hear a bit, and from my understanding the club is pretty bemused by all those reports,” Alana Fagan said while co-hosting Triple M’s breakfast show on Monday.

“The situation was that Jake Lever advised the club that he would not be attending, he was heading straight to Melbourne, he was on his way to Melbourne.

“There are an incredible number of rumours and untruths being thrown around at this point in time, it’s the silly season, we know that happens, but for the fans it’s very difficult to decipher what is real and what’s not, so to clear that up, it was Jake’s decision.”

Ms Fagan’s comments contradict what Lever’s father Alan told The Advertiser when he said how hurt Lever and the family were by Adelaide's decision telling him not to attend.

“I was pretty shattered, to be honest, because I was probably the first one he rang and he (Jake) was devastated by it, he really was,” Alan Lever said.

AFL greats Kane Cornes and Matthew Lloyd have also weighed in on the debate, saying the Crows did themselves no favours by what had unfolded in the past week.

Speaking on AFL Trade Radio from Etihad Stadium where all 18 AFL clubs are set to meet on Monday morning, Cornes said the saga indicated there was bad blood between the 21-year-old and the playing group.

Boxer Danny Green with Taylor Walker and Jake Lever. Picture: Simon Cross

“I think the relationship with the captain (Taylor Walker) — I’m not sure that’s all come out publicly in terms of how frosty that has been over the last six weeks,” Cornes said.

“Jake Lever told the club six weeks ago that he was leaving, so credit to him, at least the club knew exactly where his future was at, (and) the way he played the last four weeks wasn’t his best footy but he gave it everything and you couldn’t fault his attitude.

“But clearly there is some bad blood between the players and the relationship with supporters would have been interesting on the night.

“I was surprised (at the decision), I think it’s a non-story if they let him go (to the club champion night), the Crows made it a story by the fact they’ve said ‘don’t come along’ and I see his father in the Herald Sun today was quite critical of the club and said Jake was shattered he wasn’t allowed to go to the best-and-fairest.

“I’m just not sure the Crows are coming out of this period all that great.”

Lloyd said no matter the circumstances of the departure, any player who had spent the entire season in the jumper deserved to go to the best-and-fairest.

Two years ago Patrick Dangerfield made public his decision to return to Victoria just days before the Crows’ best-and-fairest which he attended and won.

“No matter how disappointed you are, if he’s been able to play the whole season at the footy club you’d think it would be great if he could turn up and have his final farewells to everyone,” Lloyd said.

“I think supporters understand that’s the industry now, I know it hurts and there’s no easy way to end a relationship when the football club wants you, but it would leave a bad taste in the mouth of Jake Lever and his family.

“I heard Richard Douglas speak and he said ‘yeah I took his phone call and we had a good discussion’ but obviously he handled it better than some at Adelaide.”

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