Former Adelaide Crows forward Josh Jenkins has become the latest player to talk about the club’s famous 2018 pre-season club, joining former teammate Eddie Betts.
Jenkins, who left the Crows at the end of 2019 and has since retired from the game, released a lengthy statement about his experience at the Gold Coast camp just days after Betts’ revelations in his biography, The Boy from Boomerang Crescent.
While some of the 33-year-old’s alleged experiences mirrored those of Betts, he offered some insight into the months leading up to camp, calling Sale pitch the “most intensive” part of camp a “red flag “. ” for him.
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“I remember us coming full circle and accepting the challenge, while a couple of players had to be withdrawn due to injury issues, as well as one player due to personal trauma he had recently experienced,” read the Jenkins statement to SEN. , partly.
Josh Jenkins and Eddie Betts have shared their experiences during pre-season camp (Getty)
“For him to be taken out because his personal trauma may be too much for what we were about to endure, there were alarm bells going off in my head.
“It all smelled terrible and I knew in my heart that we were on the wrong path.
“But after a Grand Final loss, when I personally had played so badly, I only had so much leverage.
“After about 40 minutes of resistance, I agreed to be part of Group 1, partly because I knew there was a month or so left and I had time to work the channels to withdraw.
“No joy. I couldn’t get out. Group 1 was for me.”
As Betts did in his autobiography, Jenkins also claims that personal information about his upbringing was used during the “harness” activity at the camp.
Jenkins says he was apprehensive about taking part in the camp when it was first brought up (Getty)
“I specifically asked for a guarantee before camp that nothing from my childhood would be brought up or used at camp to stimulate or ‘break me down,'” he said.
“I think that promise was broken. And I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive those involved for that.
“I’m also not sure that anyone has really taken responsibility for what happened and why it was allowed to happen.”
Jenkins claims the club’s welfare manager was “freed” from field discussions and planning.
“The secrecy and lack of information was astounding,” he said.
“Our welfare manager, who was getting over 90% approval ratings in the AFLPA polls, was left out of the discussions and planning as well as everything that happened after that (sic).
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“She fought the good fight for us players and I will always be grateful for that.
“He no longer works for the Crows or the AFL.”
Jenkins has also called for the release of a report he says is “damning” by club doctor Marc Cesana, which was allegedly written after his meetings with the players.
“No one has ever acted on this report, which I know is damning,” he said.
“The report must see the light. It is the only example of a medical professional who has had daily dealings with the people and players involved.
“He was worried about us.
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“He expressed to me his disappointment at what happened to us, but he never disclosed the details of what he had discussed with other players.
“That’s why the report must see the light.”
Adelaide issued a response to Jenkins’ lengthy statement with one of its own on Friday evening.
“The club is not in a position to publicly share private medical information relating to its people,” the statement said.
“While under investigation, the club provided the doctor’s report to both the AFL and SafeWork SA.”
An investigation by SafeWork SA in 2021 found the club in breach of health and safety laws, while an AFL investigation in 2018 determined the Crows had not broken any rules.
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