THE ADELAIDE Crows' pain could be far from over despite an unprecedented move to relinquish their first two picks in Thursday night's NAB AFL Draft.
The Crows voluntarily surrendered their draft picks on Wednesday afternoon, saying the shock move was a "gesture of goodwill towards resolving the [Kurt] Tippett matter".
The Crows will now use picks 62, 81 and 95 in the draft.
AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson welcomed Adelaide's bombshell, saying the move would work in the Crows' favour when the AFL Commission reviewed the case.
"Absolutely, I think this is definitely something that will be taken into account in Adelaide's favour as an appropriate step should they be found guilty," Anderson told reporters on the Gold Coast ahead of the draft.
"I think it's better for the game ... in all the circumstances and they should get credit and will get credit for that."
As it stands the Crows, Tippett and the three club officials face a total of 11 chargess. However, the League's football boss hasn't ruled out more.
"That's yet to be determined, the guys have been working through the documentation and there's no final resolution on that," Anderson said.
The club, chief executive Steven Trigg, former football manager John Reid and Tippett are under investigation for alleged salary cap and draft infringements relating to a secret side agreement made with Tippett when he re-signed with the Crows at the end of 2009.
Current Crows football manager Phil Harper is facing a charge of breaching the salary cap.
As part of the deal the Crows agreed to trade Tippett to the club of his choice at the end of his playing contract in 2012 for a second-round draft pick; and guarantee Tippett third-party payments of $200,000.
Anderson insisted the Crows' draft-pick concession wasn't a complete admission of guilt.
Under-siege Crows chief executive Stephen Trigg did not attend today’s meeting of club bosses at Metricon Stadium.
Adelaide was represented by list manager David Noble, who was on the phone as he left the meeting, the club said it wasn’t in a position to comment further.
Anderson revealed today's remarkable decision was first flagged yesterday in direct dialogue with Crows chairman Rob Chapman.
Chapman announced the club's decision on Adelaide's website on Wednesday, describing it as a common-sense initiative that was in the club’s overall best interests.
"We are in ongoing discussions with the AFL," Chapman said.
"This gesture forms part of those discussions and is made in good faith.
"There are pressing deadlines with the draft and our priority is to see [delisted youngster] Nick Joyce back on our main list. This will now happen at the pre-season draft.
"So we see this as a pragmatic gesture made in good faith. It’s all about seeking the best overall outcome for the Adelaide Football Club."
Collingwood will now have three first-round picks in a row (18, 19 and 20) after the Crows' concession.
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