Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks says his AFL club could have been more transparent about the drink-driving charge of forward Tyson Stengle.

The Crows have suspended Stengle for four matches and fined him $2500 after the 21-year-old was caught by police on April 9.

The club didn’t publicly release details of the incident until eight days later.

“I understand the perception that has come through on that,” Nicks told SEN SA radio on Wednesday.

Stengle didn’t inform the club until two or three days after blowing 0.125 when stopped by police for driving an unregistered car.

“In hindsight you look back, could we have come out with a short statement (when initially told),” Nicks said.

“We didn’t have a lot of information early and that is why we didn’t.

“But I totally understand why there has been a lot of questions asked about that.

“It was nothing more than making sure we got the detail right before coming out.

“And that was all about looking after our player and that’s what we’re about and we’ll be like that going forward.

“I think there’s something in it, maybe we might release a short, quick statement earlier on in the piece.”

Stengle played in Adelaide’s round one loss to Sydney and had been earmarked to fill the small forward vacancy caused by Eddie Bett’s off-season departure to Carlton.

The AFL season has been halted until at least May 31 amid the coronavirus pandemic, with Stengle’s club-imposed suspension to take effect from when the competition resumes.