AFL 2020: Adelaide Crows admit to training rules breach

The AFL is “furious” after the Adelaide Crows admitted to breaking the game’s strict COVID-19 biosecurity protocols during a secret camp.

The Crows have some explaining to do.

The Adelaide Crows have admitted to breaking AFL coronavirus protocols and have apologised for a group of 16 players training en masse.

The AFL has outlawed clubs from allowing players to train in groups of more than two people while Western Australia continues to hold out against the game’s push for teams to restart training.

With reports claiming the AFL is now pursuing a potential season restart in mid-June, many clubs have called back players from interstate under the understanding that clubs will soon begin training in large groups.

But the Crows appear to have jumped the gun. The club was reportedly been sprung housing 16 players in a Barossa Valley retreat where they have been accused of training together.

The 16 players and an assistant coach were reportedly a contingent of players called back to Adelaide from interstate in the past 48 hours.

The players were under direction to only train in pairs, but the club is now under investigation after witnesses claim the group of 16 players were busted training together in a large group.

Adelaide Crows CEO Andrew Fagan.

On Friday morning, Adelaide Crows CEO Andrew Fagan admitted the club had made a mistake on SEN Breakfast .

“We know it’s a community issue and we are all expected to play our role in flattening the curve. That’s clear and we are not shying away from that,” Fagan said.

“We had 16 players return from interstate. We had approval from SA Police to train down at that facility which is a 20-acre facility, so it’s got some ability for the players to not just be in their rooms but to move around and do some running and training.

“The expectation which was clearly articulated was to be in pairs and to maintain social distancing. This was their first session there and it appears as though that the communication about how the first session was to be conducted wasn’t anywhere near as clear as it needed to be.

“They (trained in pairs) for a number of elements in the session but for others they came together beyond their pairs and they breached some of those social distancing rules.

“It’s an honest mistake, but it’s a serious one, and we understand where the industry is at in these discussions and everyone is pretty frustrated.

“Everyone has been trying to do the right thing but it doesn’t take a lot for someone to make a mistake. Hopefully it serves as a timely warning for the need to be particularly vigilant and have more safeguard measures to ensure that if there’s a mistake made it is picked up before there’s a serious transgression.”

The Crows say the session may have violated the club’s own rules.

On Friday, Adelaide’s head of football Adam Kelly also asserted the club did not intend to break social distancing restrictions.

“No-one is out there deliberately trying to flaunt rules, they just got it wrong,” Kelly told SEN SA radio.

The players were serving their period of quarantine at the Novotel Barossa Valley Resort, which is closed to the public.

The Crows face AFL and possibly SA Police sanctions, but Kelly does not believe there is a discipline problem at the club.

Meanwhile, footy reporter Sam McClure has reported the AFL is privately filthy about the Crows’ reported decision to break the rules.

“The AFL is furious,” McClure told 3AW Radio.

“The Adelaide Crows have now cast a major doubt over the pending restart of the AFL season.”

He said the AFL and the Crows are both investigating possible social distancing, quarantine protocol and training protocol breaches.

With AAP