ADELAIDE has accused the AFL of allowing double standards when it comes to the game's integrity, with the resting of players this weekend potentially robbing the club of a home final.
Fremantle and North Melbourne will rest a number of star players this weekend ahead of the finals, but the Crows need the Kangaroos to beat Richmond on Friday night to have any chance of playing at home in their elimination final.
They contacted the AFL on Thursday to express their disappointment that rules allow such scenarios to unfold.
Tigers unfazed by Roos rest call: Hardwick
In a statement released on Thursday afternoon Adelaide agreed with the League's strong stance on bottom-ranked teams performing to their best to avoid any impact on draft selections, but questioned where that strictness was for sides at the top of the ladder.
"We acknowledge that all clubs are well within their rights to take advantage of the current rules, however, the question is should the rules be changed?" the statement read.
"The AFL quite rightly continues to hold a firm stance on teams playing to their merits when positioned near the bottom of the ladder given the possible impact on draft selections.
"But the definition of integrity appears blurred when applied to teams in the upper echelon where results can potentially change team rankings and possible allocation of home finals."
The club statement ended with a promise Adelaide would focus on "what it can control" – that being the continued building of momentum against Geelong on Saturday.
AFL football operations manager Mark Evans says while the decision certainly doesn't sit well with some, he says the Kangaroos are entitled to make the call.
READ the AFL's statement here
"We understand the situation they're in of two six-day breaks and the need to make sure they're right for their finals match," Evans said.
"While we understand some people don't like the look of it, it has cleared our integrity rules.
"If you look at sides at this time of the year, some of them are in development mode; some have already put games into young players; some players have been rested to this point in time.
"While we understand that people don't like the look of it, we certainly understand that North Melbourne, Fremantle and others are preparing for the best possible finals series.
"It won't impact their ladder position and we're confident that it's not a matter for the integrity department."
