Adelaide’s winless AFL year can’t be blamed on hubs or any lingering effect from a notorious pre-season camp two years ago, ruckman Reilly O’Brien says.
The Crows have lost five consecutive games to sit last on the ladder – the past three defeats coming while staying at a Gold Coast hub.
The club’s controversial 2018 pre-season camp also reared its ugly head again with a weekend newspaper report delving into the damaging mind-training exercise.
O’Brien read the report, but says it’s water under the proverbial bridge at the club.
“It has been lingering around for a while but as a group we have moved on well and truly from that,” O’Brien told reporters in Adelaide on Monday.
“We don’t really talk about that any more … I glance over those stories but it’s interesting it’s still hanging around.
“But we have got a new coach, a new footy department, there’s a lot of new players – we have moved on.”
Adelaide’s squad returned home on Sunday night after playing three games while staying on the Gold Coast. They return to Queensland for another match, against West Coast, on Saturday in Brisbane.
“I actually really enjoyed the hub,” O’Brien said.
“A few guys with families found it more challenging.
“But as a group, the chance to get up there and spend a lot of time together, do a lot of extra training, bond with each other, and the warm weather as well, was really beneficial.
“It was a good three weeks but obviously everyone was itching to get home and get back to family.”