RETURNING Adelaide CEO Steven Trigg stillbelieves the club was harshly dealt with by the AFL for its role in salary capbreaches regarding Kurt Tippett's 2009 contract with the club.
The Crows were fined $300,000 and barredfrom the opening two rounds of the 2012 NAB AFL Draft for the breaches.
Trigg pleaded guilty to three draft andsalary cap breaches and was fined $50,000 and suspended for six months latelast year for his involvement.
He returned to work on Monday morning.
Tippett was also fined $50,000 andsuspended for 11 games.
While Trigg admitted he was initially angryat the way Tippett and his manager handled the 26-year-old's defection to theSwans, he said time had healed that wound.
Return of banned CEO 'will lift Crows'
Trigg empathised with Tippett, claiming hispunishment was also harsh.
"When the AFL handed down theirfindings and penalties they specifically made the comment that they werepenalties to set an example," Trigg said.
"That goes all round. I genuinely feelthat Kurt, like the rest of us, copped a harsh penalty and I'm not being overlygenerous, I wish him well in his career.
"At the time I was pretty angry aboutthe whole thing, [Tippett's camp] was probably angry as well, but is there anypoint in keeping that?"
Many have criticised Adelaide's decisionnot to accept Trigg's resignation once the scandal broke, particularly giventhe speedy departure of then-recruiting manager Matthew Rendell last year.
Rendell resigned after disparaging remarks about the recruitment of indigenous players were made public.
Trigg spoke of the support he had received during his six-month AFL-enforced suspension and the need to repay it now that he was back at West Lakes.
He said an "obligation to repay that faith" was foremost on his mind and that he had no second thoughts about reclaiming his post at the club.
"Late last year there were all sorts of different emotions but as time's gone on and you reconcile it, understand it better in your head, and … it just became stronger and stronger determination to come back and make good," he said.
"I haven't had any second thoughts since late last year."
