AFL News: Betts reveals Crows' shock stance over racist letter as skipper responds, Buddy Brisbane bound?

Eddie Betts has lifted the lid on further damning behind-the-scenes incidents during his time at Adelaide, in the wake of his revelations into the Crows’ 2018 pre-season camp.

Betts’ upcoming autobiography The Boy from Boomerang Crescent reveals the Crows, in addition to several culturally disrespectful incidents during the club’s infamous camp, pressured the champion forward into silence after he received a racist letter during Indigenous Round in 2016.

“It [the letter] carried a picture of me high-fiving Jarryd Lyons on the training track at Adelaide Oval,” Betts wrote.

“In big black Texta right above my head some racist had written the words ‘A– F—-T’.

“I sat there speechless for a moment after I’d opened it. Then I was like, ‘Yep – again. Here it is again.’”

However, Betts said his desire to show the letter at an upcoming press conference wasn’t approved by the Crows, who he suggested were keen to ‘minimise any type of media circus’.

When we walked into the meeting with the club, straight away I was looking at all-white faces,” he wrote.

“I knew that they would not fully understand what I was about to show them – how stuff like this cuts me to the core, and in particular the effect the word ‘a–’ can have.

“I said to the club, ‘listen, I really want to take this piece of paper into this press conference and when the journos ask me why the AFL has the Indigenous Round, I want to say ‘this is why.’

“I wanted to hold it up and maybe even just walk out – leaving the piece of paper in the press conference.

“These days, I would do it without even telling them, because essentially they talked us [Betts and wife Anna] into not saying anything.

“Upon reflection, they were trying to minimise any type of media circus before my game, but maybe this was more important than the game itself?”

Betts’ bombshell comes as Crows players are reportedly exploring their options for a class-action lawsuit against the AFL and the club for the controversial camp.

Speaking with The Age, Adelaide lawyer Greg Griffin said several players had made contact, suggesting Betts’ book release had ‘intensified the feelings that players who attended the camp had’.

Betts’ accusations of disrespectful treatment by camp organisers Collective Mind have also been addressed by Crows captain Rory Sloane, who said he was unaware of the use of personal information by the group during activities until recently.

The 32-year old also stood by his 2018 claim that the camp had made him a better husband, son and teammate.

“Eddie’s been a great friend and teammate over the years, and you don’t want someone hurting at the end of their career from this camp especially,” Sloane said on Adelaide radio station FiveAA.

“You put your captain hindsight hat on and of course you would’ve loved to do some things better… I thought I did my absolute best at the time.

“People experience different things in all walks of life and my experience was different to Eddie’s.

“I think that’s completely fine and completely normal.”

(Photo by Morne de Klerk/Getty Images)

Buddy Brisbane bombshell gains momentum

The Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans have both moved to quash rumours that superstar Lance Franklin could be set for a move to the Gabba in 2023, despite a report claiming the 35-year old already has one foot out the door at the Swans.

According to Nine News Queensland, Franklin, whose famous nine-year deal with Sydney expires at the end of this year, is keen on a move north, with contract negotiations with the Swans proving troublesome.

Family on the Gold Coast and a chance at a third premiership with the Lions are said to be among Franklin’s reasons for the shock switch.

However, Swans CEO Tom Harley has refuted the claims, saying Franklin’s reported departure is ‘news to him’.

“I know that Lance is absolutely locked in with his footy at the moment,” Harley told 3AW.

“So I appreciate that everyone would love an answer, but there’s no hurry from our point of view and no hurry from Lance’s point of view, so things [are] all tracking well at the minute.”

The Lions, meanwhile, have denied the reports, with a spokesperson telling the Herald Sun the club would be open to signing Franklin, but haven’t spoken to his management yet.

“If he wants to move to Queensland we would have a chat,” the spokesperson said.

However, Lions midfielder Jarrod Berry is more than open to the idea of Franklin as a teammate, revealing the playing group has already discussed the acquisition.

“It definitely would be pretty special…you grow up watching these guys,” Berry said of Franklin at the Lions.

“It’d be awesome if Buddy came.”