Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson has labelled half of his AFL side as “impostors”.
Sanderson was scathing of his players in the 32-point defeat to North Melbourne last Sunday which cost the Crows top spot on the ladder – instead, they slipped to fifth.
“It just didn’t seem like the Adelaide Crows that we have quickly become accustomed to,” Sanderson told reporters on Wednesday.
“There were some impostors out there.
“You know, there was some players with the same jumpers on, and the same numbers but it just didn’t seem to be us.”
Sanderson said only 11 players broke even or won their positions against the Roos but he would give them a chance to redeem themselves against Richmond at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.
“You have to be upset with the way we played last week,” he said.
“But at the same time, you can’t just throw it all out and say we’re now a bad team – we think we’re a good side.
“Some players get credits over time, without question.
“You have to allow some players to fight back and earn the right to a second chance, so we certainly won’t be throwing too many players out this week.”
Sanderson said the Kangaroos loss was a “good wake-up call” for his club and its fans.
“We went from being premiership favourites to being lucky to make the eight in one match,” he said of the reaction of Adelaide fans.
“… We know that we have still got a long way to go to gain the respect of the competition and probably our fans too.
“We got embarrassed at certain parts of the game.
“I don’t think it’s complacency but it was a good opportunity for us to address again, that if you play for the Adelaide Crows, you’re required to play a certain way.
“And if we are five per cent off, we’re going to get embarrassed by any side.”
But Sanderson said common sense told him it was “sometimes okay to have a bad game”.
“Sometimes you just have a bad day at work but, the next day, normally you perform much better,” he said.
The Crows expect spearhead Kurt Tippett to overcome concussion and play against Richmond.
“We’ll leave him right up to the last minute to make a decision but he seems to be fine,” Sanderson said.