Bailey ... ban to former Demons coach and current Adelaide assistant has Crows seething. Source: Michael Klein / News Limited
Adelaide says it is "filthy" at the 16-round AFL-imposed suspension handed to key strategist Dean Bailey.
While the club has vowed to stand by its high-profile assistant coach, an angry chairman Rob Chapman has virtually accused the League of Crow-bashing.
He slammed Bailey's lengthy five-month ban for "acting in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the AFL" over the Melbourne tanking scandal, which has left Adelaide three key officials down.
Chief executive Steven Trigg and football operations manager Phil Harper are still serving AFL suspensions for salary cap rorting.
Bailey was suspended by the AFL for the first 16 rounds of the premiership season for his role in the Demons tanking affair, in which the club finished up with the first two picks at the 2009 national draft.
The former Melbourne coach is not allowed to have any match day role or work with players until after the Crows' round 16 clash with Collingwood on July 12.
In other penalties, the Demons were fined $500,000 and their former football operations manager Chris Connolly - who still works at Melbourne - was suspended from any involvement with an AFL club until February.
Chapman said the Crows would continue to employ Bailey in a behind-the-scenes strategist role until his ban was lifted because "he is a good man who provides incredible support for Sando (coach Brenton Sanderson)".
But he reiterated the club's latest penalty was hard to take.
The penalty follows Trigg (six months) and Harper (two months) being banned for breaking AFL rules when re-signing key forward Kurt Tippett in 2009.
Tippett has since joined Sydney.
The Crows were also hit with a $300,000 fine and lost key draft picks at two national drafts for their role in the Tippett salary cap scandal.
Harper returns to work on Friday, March 1.
Chapman described the penalties handed down to Adelaide and Melbourne as being inconsistent.
"Clearly we have been hurt a lot more than they have," he said.
The Crows players have even bought into the debate.
Noting the discrepancy in penalties, ace key forward Taylor Walker tweeted: "Tanking or paying a player outside a cap? Fine or draft picks? Crows as a Vic team."
Bailey, who did not return phone calls from The Advertiser and is unavailable for comment, according to the club, has accepted his punishment.
His lawyer Chris Pollard said Bailey had not been found guilty of coaching to lose but unwittingly making a comment about the desire to secure a priority draft pick.
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