CROWS coach Neil Craig says it will be left up to the playing group to decide if and when defender Graham Johncock returns to the side this season.

Johncock, who played for the Dream Team in the Hall of Fame game earlier this season, was omitted from Adelaide's side to take on the Swans on the basis of poor form and failing to meet the club's standards of preparation.

Craig endorsed the playing group's decision to send Johncock back to the SANFL and said there was no time frame for his return.

"I think what's unfolded is that the playing group, for a period of time, have lost a bit of confidence in Graham with the way he prepares and, of course, that flows over to form. It's a combination of both," Craig said on Friday.

"It's no good continuing to pick a player if those things off the field in preparation are not great.

"I know the playing group are looking for a quick response and a consistent response in the way he prepares himself for AFL football. Graham knows the standard the players are asking for, and the reason I say that is, because he's been able to meet it before."

He said the players was saying, 'We need some consistency in that, Graham, and when we see that, your availability will be there.

"That will be up to the playing group because they spend more time with him more than I do," Craig said.

"They see him day-in and day-out, so they are the best judges of that, just as they were the best judges to render the recommendation."

Craig said the clever defender would be afforded every possible consideration in his comeback to football at the highest level, which could include counselling.

"The playing and the coaching side have made that judgement on Graham. First of all, that judgement has been made in a spirit of care for a player, because silence would've been approval of the behaviour," he said.

"I'll say to our supporters that I think the playing group has showed great courage to stand up to one of their own teammates and say, 'This needs to be done a bit better'.

"Having said that, the playing group, the coaching group and the club have a huge responsibility to help Graham in any manner which we possibly can. That could be talking to Graham about the standards, helping him through the standards, if he wants some counselling for a specific area of his life; all those tools will be made available to Graham."