Crows part ways with Collective Minds
Adelaide have ended their two-year agreement with Collective Minds.
Ben Cotton
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 10: Don Pyke, coach of the Crows takes questions at the post game press conference during the 2018 AFL round 12 match between the Fremantle Dockers and the Adelaide Crows at Optus Stadium on June 10, 2018 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
The Adelaide Crows have mutually agreed to part ways with the Collective Minds psych training program that has sent shock waves through the club.
A contentious pre-season camp ran by Collective Minds backfired on the Crows, with last year's grand finalists sitting in 11th position at the midway point of the 2018 season.
Adelaide coach Don Pyke and football manager Brett Burton revealed the club's decision to end their two-year agreement with the company on Saturday afternoon.
"In the last 24 hours, we've mutually agreed to part ways (with Collective Minds)," Burton told reporters.
"Clearly we had some good impact with the program last year, but this year hasn't gone the way we wanted it to.
"There's always things we can do better. We sat in there this morning with the playing group/staff. Fans and members can be guaranteed we're always trying to get better.
"These guys are not psychologists, they're mental skills coaches."
Burton asserted that there were was no lingering affects from the camp, despite conflicting reports that several players, including star forward Eddie Betts want out of the club.
"We haven't come away with a good result from the camp," he added.
Pyke conceded that the camp was a failure, but said the club was simply utilising ways to improve its on-field performance.
"Some of those sessions didn't hit the mark and didn't resonate with the players.
"I won't be an apologist for us trying to get better. It hasn't worked, so we make a decision and we move on. And that's a mutual decision made with the Collective Mind group."
While Burton refused to disclose specific details of what happened on the camp, he addressed speculation that the club's Indigenous players came away distressed.
"On the camp, we had a Welcome to Country," Burton said.
"There was an Indigenous artefact that was used, we sought clarity and within 72 hours that was dealt with. There was no lingering issues from the Indigenous guys on that."
Round 18 Team Line-Ups
Scott responds to Buckley's swipe at fixture complaints, redirects stab to...
Ratten open to Carlton return