Rory Sloane hits back at suggestions players forced Adelaide Crows to sack Brenton Sanderson

CROWS co-captain Rory Sloane insists he has no blood on his hands from Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson’s sacking last week.

AFL - Adelaide Crows v St Kilda at The Adelaide Oval. Rory Sloane celebrates a goal. Photo Sarah Reed.

CROWS co-captain Rory Sloane insists he has no blood on his hands from Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson’s sacking last week.

Sloane has taken exception to being named in a radio segment as one of the six players who issued an ultimatum to the Crows board that Sanderson had to go or there would be a player exodus.

“That’s just horrible,” Sloane said in Melbourne. “Obviously that is not right. For anyone to think that players can actually make a decision that big is stupid really. We don’t even get a say in (team) selection, let alone what the outcome of the coach is.”

Sloane was named along with fellow co-captain Patrick Dangerfield, midfielder Richard Douglas, key forward Taylor Walker and — most unfairly — Victorian brothers Matt and Brad Crouch as the players who influenced the Adelaide board to sack Sanderson while he still had two years on his contract.

Sloane has not spoken with Sanderson since his sacking last week. He has sent Sanderson a text message and has the intent to meet with his former coach in the next week.

But Sloane is in torment in how Sanderson’s tenure — that delivered the best winning rate of all Adelaide coaches (56.5 per cent) — ended.

“The stuff that is probably warranted (against the players) is if we had won a couple more games, made finals, he might still be there. He might not. That’s the bit that comes to your mind (as a player). You wish we did a bit more during the year and made finals and made a better season of it.”

Sloane — like Sanderson — says he “didn’t see (the sacking) coming”.

“It caught everyone by surprise,” he said. “I spoke to half the playing group (after being told of the sacking by the club) and everyone was in a bit of shock. We didn’t see it coming.

“I get along really well with ‘Sando’ and I wish him well; he is a great person. I’m sure he will get another gig somewhere else.”

Sloane — along with Dangerfield and Walker — are out of contract next season. The Victorian-born midfielder remains committed to signing a new deal with Adelaide, but he accepts some of his teammates may have their futures hinge on the club’s choice as Sanderson’s replacement.

“I’ve said I love Adelaide, I love the playing group I’m with — and that is most important to me,” Sloane said. “But I’d definitely like to have an inkling of who (the next coach is). You want to know where the future of the football club stands.

“Me, Dangerfield and ‘Tex” (Walker) and a few others are out of contract (next year). It will be on the minds of some guys wanting to know who the coach is before they sign.”

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Originally published as Rory Sloane hits back at suggestions players forced Adelaide Crows to sack Brenton Sanderson