Eddie Betts joins the AFL All-Australian selection panel, replacing Chris Johnson, who has departed after five years to pursue his business interests.
"During my playing career being named an All-Australian was always a tremendous honour, the prestige of being named in the team is something I remember fondly," Betts said.
"Footy continues to be a passion of mine, I am enjoying my time in the media with Fox Footy and I am excited to join the committee and play a part in selecting the best of the best."
Eddie Betts has left his role at Geelong to focus on his new foundation, which supports Indigenous athletes
"Although I am stepping away from the club environment, I hope through my new foundation, I can continue to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people as they enter the AFL space and other professional sporting fields," Betts said.
"I was fortunate enough to be involved in a small way to win the Premiership and although that is why we all want to be involved in footy – there is always that pull inside me to be involved in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to achieve their goals in sport on a broader scale."
Taylor Walker insists he enjoyed the Crows' notorious 2018 camp, despite a string of players revealing harrowing experiences from the Gold Coast training trip.
But Walker, who was captain at the time, admits it was difficult to hear former teammates including Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins share they were still feeling negative effects from the experience.
"I took a positive experience out of it, but that does not take away from the feelings of hurt that those boys are going through at the moment," Walker said.
"I knew something was not right post the camp, I knew blokes weren't feeling that great about it. There were fractures within the group.
"I was having some confidential meetings at my house to try and work out exactly the path to take and I can honestly say that I did everything I could to try and fix it."
Adelaide chairman John Olsen and CEO Tim Silvers issue a fresh apology to players affected by the infamous 2018 camp following public statements of by Eddie Betts, Josh Jenkins and Bryce Gibbs.
"It has been confronting to hear Eddie Betts and Josh Jenkins describe their experiences during the 2018 pre-season training camp on the Gold Coast, as well as the subsequent hurt they have carried," Olsen and Silvers said in an open letter.
"We apologise to Eddie, Josh and any other player, coach or staff member, who had a negative experience during this time.
"Equally, we are sorry to hear Bryce Gibbs express his disappointment at the way in which the camp and events surrounding it were handled and its impact on the playing group, and we acknowledge there are others who may feel the same way."
Former Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins claims leaders of the Crows' infamous pre-season camp preyed on players with traumatic upbringings, including himself and Eddie Betts, and claimed a report about the welfare of players was buried.
"Each player was scolded with abuse and physicality so they’d be physically and emotionally worn out," Jenkins read out in a statement on SEN radio.
"I specifically asked for assurance that nothing regarding my childhood would be raised or used on the camp to spur me on or to break you down. It is my belief that this promise was broken, and I'm not certain that I'll ever forgive the individuals involved for that."
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has publicly apologised to Eddie Betts and his former Adelaide teammates over the League's investigation into the Crows' ill-fated 2018 pre-season camp.
The apology comes after calls from Betts and high-profile football figures, including Melbourne premiership coach and Adelaide playing great Simon Goodwin, for the league to say sorry for its role in the saga.
"We're sorry to Eddie and anyone who's (endured) suffering from that camp," McLachlan told the Seven Network.
"We've seen today how much it hurt Eddie, and frankly, some of the stuff that went on was a disgrace. Clearly, we're hearing him and hear his pain, and we're sorry."
McLachlan has defended the handling of the AFL's investigation into the camp.
"The difference between finding things, that have been frankly disgraceful, as opposed to breaking laws or rules, that is a challenging one to deal," McLachlan told 3AW.
"In terms of the lack of action, I don't agree with that either. Our response has been to make changes to say now every camp has to be signed off by the AFL to protect the physical and mental wellbeing of all the participants."
Adelaide chief executive Tim Silvers has publicly and privately apologised to Eddie Betts for the trauma the AFL great suffered during the Crows' ill-fated pre-season camp.
Silvers told reporters at the club's West Lakes headquarters that he had reached out to Betts via text on Wednesday morning after bombshell revelations about the controversial 2018 training camp came to light with the release of Betts' autobiography.
"We've got a leadership and a culture (now) that we're driving that prioritises others and I think we can move forward, but we would like to say 'sorry' to Eddie and anyone else who had a negative experience throughout the camp," Silvers said.
An Indigenous icon and one of the AFL's greatest small forwards, Betts claims the experience on the Gold Coast following the Crows' shock 2017 grand final loss was "weird" and "disrespectful".
"There was all sorts of weird s**t that was disrespectful to many cultures, but particularly and extremely disrespectful to my culture," Betts wrote in his book, The Boy from Boomerang Crescent.
"Things were yelled at me that I had disclosed to the camp's 'counsellors' about my upbringing. All the people present heard these things. I was exhausted, drained and distressed about the details being shared.
"I felt like I'd lost the drive to play footy, and to be honest, I'm not sure I ever had the same energy I did before that camp."
Eddie Betts will undertake community work in the NT over the coming weeks while playing an as-yet unspecified number of games for the Magpies.
"The club is very excited and honoured to have Eddie and his family choose to be involved with our club this season," Palmerston coach Josh Heath said.
"We are very fortunate to have someone of his calibre on board, mentoring and developing our juniors and as assistant coach of our senior group. We fully support his initiatives in engaging and working with Indigenous communities and people throughout the Northern Territory."
Newly-appointed Cats assistant coach Eddie Betts is tightlipped on Tyson Stengle's potential move to Geelong, but says he has spoken to him.
Stengle lived with the recently retired champion in Adelaide, before Betts and his family moved back to Carlton ahead of the 2020 season.
"I felt really bad because he lived there with me and my wife (Anna) and we were pretty hard on him and kept him on the straight and narrow," Betts said.
"He's 22 so the best footy is ahead of him. I really hope he gets another chance at AFL footy, whether it's here (at Geelong) or somewhere else. My best interests are that Tyson gets back and playing AFL footy. If he comes to Geelong, that would be great."
"I'm looking forward to working with the playing list, in particular the younger players and helping them develop both on and off the field. It's important for players to develop skills in all parts of your life," Betts said.
"Obviously I will spend some time with the forwards, particularly the small forwards, but hope to get across all on-field spaces where the club see they need me."
Eddie Betts announces his retirement from AFL football on the eve of his 350th and final game.
"I hope at some point in my career I was able to put a smile on your face. If I did, I'm happy and my work is done here. To all the people who played a part in my career, it could never be done on my own," Betts said.
"My family, back home for teaching and raising me that it's always important to look out for others and be selfless in the way we go about things."
An exhausted Eddie Betts has again fronted the media to explain why racism must stop.
In the wake of the Taylor Walker (a former teammate of Betts') racist slur scandal, Betts made a powerful statement on Fox Footy with the words No Room For Racism written on tape on his wrist.
"It just hurts. It just keeps happening. I'm sick of it. I'm sick of fighting. It's draining," he said on Fox Footy.
"I can't do it. I can't. It's hard ... You hear me speaking about it year after year after year [but] it's up to you guys to make change - you guys are the ones that are going to be the powerful voice. We're sick of fighting because it just keeps happening, happening and happening and happening. And I'm tired, I honestly am. It's getting to me."
Footage of Eddie Betts' 2020 exit interview is released in Making Their Mark, a seven-part series to be released on Amazon Prime Video. In it, Betts is provided with brutal feedback from Blues fitness boss Andrew Russell.
"You seem you've lost your confidence in your craft which has nothing to do with age. And you're such a public figure, my feeling is you've got too sucked in to what everyone says, and you can't remove yourself from it," Russell tells Betts.
"As harsh as it is, good players have to deal with that as they go through their career and some of them do it well and don't do it well. The ones that do it well genuinely don't give a s**t what people think about them, they add years to their career. They just do. The biggest challenge here is not physical, your biggest challenge is mental."
Eddie Betts says he's grown weary of the constant battle he has with racists, adding it regularly makes him question why he plays football.
"It just drains you. You kind of think 'Why am I playing footy?', and then I think to myself 'I need to let people know what I'm going through'," Betts said.
"If I have to cop most of this racial abuse coming my way to set the standards in the future so these young Aboriginal kids can come and play footy and enjoy it without being racially abused, I'm happy to cop the brunt.
"At the moment, I'm just getting sick and tired of it ... it hurts, it hurts myself, it hurts my family and I'm sick of fighting."
Eddie Betts makes a huge call regarding former Crows teammate Charlie Cameron.
"I said before if he keeps improving and playing the way he is, he's going to be the best small forward that ever played this game," Betts said.
"I think he's going to take control now. He's an All-Australian small forward, he'll come and say 'listen Ed, get out of my way it's my show now'. He makes me so proud to see what he's achieved so far."
Tyson Stengle will follow family tradition and inherit the No.18 Crows jumper that's been left vacant by his cousin Eddie Betts, who joined the Blues during the recent trade period.
Another of Betts' relatives, former defender Graham Johncock, wore the No.18 jumper for the Crows for 227 games between 2002 and 2013.
"Tyson Stengle (will be) jumping into the No.18," Betts told radio station FIVEaa.
"We want to keep the number in the family because Graham Johncock … is a Betts, I'm a Betts and Tyson Stengle is a Betts as well, so it's true family ties."
Eddie Betts will finish his brilliant career at Carlton after Adelaide traded the much-loved small forward back to his former club.
Betts signed a one-year deal at Carlton, with Adelaide to pay a portion of his wages.
"The Carlton Football Club has always had a special place in my heart. I cannot wait to pull on that Navy Blue guernsey again and run out in front of our passionate members and supporters," Betts said.
"What excites me is the special feeling building at this club. To now be part of a forward line that includes some of the best young talent in the game – I want to help those guys take their game to the next level, so 2020 cannot come quick enough."
Eddie Betts wins his fourth Goal of the Year award.
His winning effort for 2019 was a miraculous left-footed banana from deep in the left forward pocket against Gold Coast at the Adelaide Oval in round five.
Adelaide CEO Andrew Fagan expects Eddie Betts to remain a Crow in 2020 despite rumors of interest from Gold Coast and Carlton.
"I think if you spoke to the majority of our playing group, they would say the last couple of years wasn't as exciting as 2016 or 2017 when we were more successful," Fagan said.
"So I think that he shares in that. He loves football. He plays best when he's happy."
The Crows are undertaking two searching reviews with an external four-member panel including AFL greats Jason Dunstall and Matthew Pavlich investigating all aspects of the club.
"I love Eddie, we're there to support him, we know the fans love him. He's a tremendously loved member of this football club," Fagan said.
"And as part of this (review) process we want to make sure we have got an environment and a platform from which we can all look forward with excitement and positivity towards 2020, including for Eddie."
Eddie Betts confirms he's received some interest from Gold Coast for 2020, but not an offer.
"Speaking to a couple of the guys at the club, they've said I'm a required player, I'm contracted for 2020 and I'm not delisted," Betts told FIVEaa radio.
"Honestly, there's been no offer made to me from Gold Coast or any other team. There's been interest, but there's no offer that's been made."
Betts admitted talk of the club's aging list, after a second consecutive year of missing the finals, has affected him.
"There's a lot of things that go on at a footy club and you keep hearing stuff about the age factor, you're getting old, we're going to rejuvenate the club," Betts said.
Rumours have surfaced about his future, but Eddie Betts has emphatically denied he will be out of Adelaide after 2019.
"No, I don't think I'll be sitting down and talking to the other clubs," Betts said.
"I have spoken to Don Pyke and Brett Burton … and they said, 'You're a required player here at the Adelaide Footy Club next year'.
"I've got a young family, and it's a big decision if you want to pack up and leave."
Betts said the speculation about his future had taken a personal toll.
"It drains the hell out of you. They could see it was affecting me, especially Don," Betts said.
"He could see I was agitated and because these rumours have come out, I wanted the footy club to tell me, 'You're a required player here, we don't want to get rid of you', which was good."
Eddie Betts is dropped from the Crows' senior side to face Carlton only a fortnight after booting six goals against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.
"Ed's been frustrated with his form, he hasn't been consistent with how we want to play … but I believe there's still a lot of really good footy left in Eddie Betts," Crows coach Don Pyke said.
"The good thing is we're not seeing any deterioration in terms of his speed, his agility, his movement.
"Unfortunately, it's just his form, and his performance hasn't been to the level that we want and require."
Opinion in the football world is divided on Richmond young gun Sydney Stack's celebration with Adelaide's Eddie Betts after yet another brilliant goal from the maestro.
Late in the clash between the two teams, with the result beyond doubt, Betts put a miraculous snap through and after celebrating with teammates, grinned at the Tiger and wagged a finger in a good-natured manner before the pair shared a handshake and a brief hug.
"We were going at it the whole game. Sydney Stack's a great young player. He's aggressive and he doesn't give you a chance, and he keeps pushing you, but all game he kept saying 'Brother, you can't get a special goal tonight. No special goals tonight'," Betts said.
"I actually had the ball in that pocket early in that quarter and I tried for a left-foot snap and Sydney smothered it, and he came back up to me and said 'Told you, no special goals for you brother'. I said 'Mate, I'm going to get one. Trust me, I'm going to get one'.
"I ended up getting that one, and he put his head down, looked at me and smiled, came over and I said 'Told you brother'."
Bett's brother-in-law Tom has followed through on a bet to get the Crows star's face tattooed on his rear end which he promised to do if Betts' kicked five goals in his 300th game.
"Don't make stupid bets," Tom said.
"I was talking to Ed all week about a form slump. Footy is a real mental game – turns out, if he puts his mind to it and gets a bit selfish, he can get it done."
Eddie Betts stars in his 300th game, kicking six goals in Adelaide's comprehensive 73-point win over Gold Coast.
After the game, Betts revealed he had made a cheeky bet with his brother-in-law Tom.
"He said that if I kicked five goals, he'd get a tattoo. He hasn't got a tattoo but he'll get a tattoo of my face on his butt cheek ... I can't wait for that tattoo," Betts told Fox Footy.
On the eve of his 300th game, Eddie Betts now considers his drunken arrest in 2009 as not just a turning point in his footy career, but his life.
"Someone else was in the corner, laying on the hard bed. He had a blanket on him and he was shaking. I was thinking to myself, 'What the hell am I doing here?'" Betts said.
"At that point, I thought my career was going to be over."
A Melbourne newspaper splashed a photo of Betts, cigarette dangling from his mouth, on the front page.
"It kind of slapped me in the face a little bit because I don't want people to see me as this person on the front page," Betts said.
"I had to get my life on track. And I guess that's where I really started to snap out of it."
Adelaide. the AFLPA and a host of players have condemned a slur on social media on Eddie Betts.
Betts shared a post from the Adelaide Instagram account which showed him entering Friday night's realestate.com.au AFLX tournament with Hawthorn champion Shaun Burgoyne.
Circling a comment with a racist epithet, Betts commented, "When will it stop why can't we just play footy" and "Why can't we just all get along."
Eddie Betts says he is working hard to recapture his best form in 2019 after a disappointing 2018 season.
"I was disappointed in the season I had last year, I didn't want to go out and play like that," Betts said.
"This year, I've just come back and thought, 'whatever happens, happens'. Just that free mindset and go out and have a good pre-season."
Betts admits he needed to do more to prevent the wear and tear on his body after taxing training sessions and games.
"It's more so doing the recovery side of it – getting the treatment, seeing the physios and getting on top of it, and if you feel a little niggle in your hamstrings or back, make sure you're on top of it," he said.
"To be honest, I wasn't that diligent with it last year. That little back issue, that tends to run down your hamstrings. This year, I've been on top of it."
Eddie Betts says he is a fan of the revamped AFLX format that pits an all-Indigenous side that he will captain against the best the AFL had to offer.
"I've always had a dream about putting an Indigenous side together and playing against the best players in the AFL," he said.
"This is kind of the same, but not as big, it's a mini-version of it. It's like a dream come true.
"If you asked anyone, if you wanted to play a game early on in the pre-season against the best players in the AFL, you'd take that any day of the week, so I'm looking forward to it."
Adelaide and the AFL Players Association have condemned a vile, racist social media comment aimed at Eddie Betts.
The star forward posed for a selfie with a Fremantle fan ahead of Sunday's match at Optus Stadium, which later appeared on his Instagram account with his comment, "I have time for everyone".
After the Crows' upset loss he posted another image of the comments below the picture which included "Why with a monkey" by an unnamed user, to which he replied, "I have no time for this".
The Crows believe the comment was made by a Perth-based fan.
"It's unacceptable that our indigenous members continue to be racially vilified over the fence during games, in the community and in this instance, on social media," AFLPA chief executive Paul Marsh said via a statement.
"Despite the outstanding leadership indigenous players continue to display both on and off the field, they still remain targets for such shameful behaviour.
"This most recent incident involving Eddie Betts provides another opportunity to educate people about the significant hurt these types of words can cause a player, his or her family and their community."
Eddie Betts says he's always looking to put on a show during Indigenous Round.
His amazing effort against the Giants in 2016 was the goal of the year, while he finished in the top three with his goal against Fremantle in the corresponding fixture in 2017.
"You always want to do something exciting in Indigenous Round," Betts said.
"You've just got to play on instinct and bring the joy back and have fun and enjoy it while you're out there.
After being goalless in the opening two games of the 2018 season, Eddie Betts finally hits the scoreboard against the Saints with three majors.
It was revealed post-match his wife, Anna, had given birth to the couple's third and fourth children – twin girls – earlier that day in Adelaide.
"It wasn't planned to be today, to be honest. He was looking at early next week as a likely time, but when he got a phone-call from his wife this morning and said things are moving, you can't stop that," Adelaide coach Don Pyke said.
"From there, the conversation I had with him was, 'What do you want to do?' and it was going to prove to be difficult to get back to Adelaide in time, so he was able to share the experience via FaceTime which was great."
Taylor Walker will again captain Adelaide this season, but the Crows have added a new face to their leadership group.
The Crows have cut back the group of leaders from six players to four for 2018, with Walker remaining skipper for a fourth season and Rory Sloane his vice-captain.
Forward Tom Lynch has also retained his place in the leadership group, with All Australian midfielder Matt Crouch included for the first time.
Having been in last year's group, superstar Eddie Betts and Daniel Talia are no longer members, while Scott Thompson has retired.
Eddie Betts and Steve Johnson headline a list of 10 new AFL life members.
Betts, Jordan Lewis, Kade Simpson and the recently retired Johnson and Andrew Mackie automatically qualified for life membership having passed 300 AFL games.
The AFL announced on Wednesday it had also conferred life membership for "special service to the game" to former Commission chairman and Carlton premiership captain Mike Fitzpatrick, 1993 Norm Smith medallist Michael Long and dual Richmond premiership player and long-time broadcaster Rex Hunt.
As the Crows prepare to take on Richmond in the Grand Final, Eddie Betts says he has been waiting his whole career for this moment.
"I'm 30, turning 31 at the end of this year," Betts said during the grand final parade.
"Playing for 13 years, this is the first time I've ever got the opportunity to play in a Grand Final.
"You'll never get this opportunity again, or if you're lucky you might have (one more), but for it to finally come, and to get the opportunity to play in a Grand Final, is unbelievable."
Eddie Betts spends his bye break training with the Lockley Demons.
"We were given a training program we have to do and yesterday was a conditioning and skills training session," Betts told 5AA.
"I thought I might train with Lockleys, because I live close to the ground. I go there a lot and I know a couple of the boys, so I rocked up to the change room and asked the coach if it's all right to have a run.
"He said, 'That's perfect mate, I'm sure the boys would be happy'."
Michael Walters' expresses his admiration for Eddie Betts, saying he has already asked whether they can swap jumpers after Fremantle's match against Adelaide during the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.
"He's just born with that talent," Walters said of Betts.
"He does weird things where he can kick the ball from the pocket or step two or three players, just driving the ball off his opposite foot and kicking the goal.
Port Adelaide has suspended a club member indefinitely after investigating allegations that Adelaide forward Eddie Betts was racially vilified during Saturday night's Showdown.
In a statement, the club said the offender had been evicted from the Adelaide Oval and his membership card had been confiscated.
Chad Wingard issues a passionate call to arms over racial vilification.
Speaking after alleged racial slurs from fans aimed at both the Power's Paddy Ryder and Adelaide's Eddie Betts during Saturday's Showdown at the Adelaide Oval, Wingard said it was time for Australians to take a stand.
"As a club and as a person and as a nation, we need to stand up and say that's not acceptable, not just in football but in life in general," he said.
"To be discriminated against for something that you're born with, that people are proud to be, is pretty low. But as a club and as a community, we're hopefully going to educate people about it and how much an effect it has on people. Hopefully it's a learning curve and it doesn't happen again."
Adelaide announces its 2017 leadership group on Monday, with Taylor Walker to continue as Crows captain for a third-straight season, supported by Eddie Betts, Tom Lynch, Rory Sloane, Scott Thompson and Daniel Talia.
Betts and Lynch have been voted into Adelaide's leadership group for the first time, while Rory Sloane has been elevated to vice-captain.
"Taylor has done an exceptional job as captain during my time at the club and has fittingly been returned to the role," Adelaide coach Don Pyke said.
"Rory is a great leader on and off the field for our players and he has deservedly been selected vice-captain. Daniel and Scott were both influential with their leadership last year and will continue to play an important role in 2017.
"Excitingly, Tom and Eddie have been recognised for their commitment to our team values and have been added to the group and both will be key contributors this season."
Eddie Betts will finish his career in Adelaide after agreeing to a contract extension until the end of 2020.
"The club is in great shape and we have such a positive environment where everyone works really hard but also knows how to make it enjoyable as well," Betts said.
"Playing finals footy is what it is all about and after experiencing that the last couple of years I know this playing group is capable of much more.
"Everyone at the club has been really good to me and I love our fans too. They have made my family and I feel so welcome from the first day I arrived."
Eddie Betts has posted an emotional message of support for former teammate Chris Yarran, who has walked away from his contract with Richmond to focus on his battle with mental health issues.
"It is so hard to see you finish like this but you'll always be the biggest gun in my eyes," Betts wrote on social media.
"I have missed playing beside you but I'll always be here for you.
"To all my brothers in AFL, I know it can get tough at times but we just have to speak up and help each other out … it's hard seeing young indigenous players pack up and leave.
Eddie Betts claims the goal of the year title for the second straight year in resounding fashion.
Betts received an astonishing 72.5 per cent of the vote for his miraculous effort to evade several Giants defenders before slotting the ball through the big sticks from the "Betts pocket" in round 10.
Eddie Betts has outlined his "vision" for speeding up the Adelaide midfield, declaring Charlie Cameron and Wayne Milera be given a licence to "run wild" on the wings.
"Having Charlie Cameron and Wayne Milera on each wing … we should do that next year and let them run wild," Betts said.
"Looking at the group we have and the youth we have down there – we've got some things to look forward to next year."
South Australia Police have fined the woman who threw a banana towards indigenous Adelaide player Eddie Betts.
"As a result of standard inquiries made by police, an expiation notice for disorderly behaviour (licensed premises) totalling $543 has been issued to a 27-year-old woman from the southern suburbs," a police statement issued read.
"The woman has also been issued with a police barring order for six months."
Port Adelaide's indigenous players and the club's Aboriginal programs manager will decide if the supporter who racially insulted Adelaide star Eddie Betts is allowed to have her membership reinstated in the future.
The Power handed down an indefinite suspension to a female member who threw a banana towards Betts during Saturday night's Showdown at Adelaide Oval.
The club initially banned the member for next year, but increased that after speaking to witnesses who confirmed it was racially motivated.
However, Port Adelaide chairman David Koch then moved away from his earlier suggestions that the member be banned for life.
"We've decided on an indefinite ban, then the opportunity for this member to do the Aboriginal cultural awareness program," Koch told SEN radio.
"She will then have the opportunity to sit down with our seven Aboriginal players to understand why actions like this are so hurtful.
"If it is (accepted) and she can show cause in the future of why she should be readmitted to our membership, it will be up to Paul (Vandenbergh) and our Aboriginal players to decide on that."
The Port Adelaide supporter who threw a banana at Adelaide forward Eddie Betts on Saturday night has apologised for her actions.
"I regret my momentary lapse of judgement and I did not attend the game with the predetermined attitude of bringing the game into disrepute or to offend anyone," her statement said.
"Unfortunately, the emotions of the game got the better of me and I hope you all accept my apology. "
Betts said it's sad that racism still exists in the game but he thanked Port Adelaide and his teammates for their response to the incident.
"All we have to do is just educate (people). Port Adelaide has offered all their indigenous players for this lady to go and speak to them, which is fantastic," Betts said.
"I'm part of the new AFL campaign against racism and our slogan is, 'It stops with me'.
"Hopefully, people can talk to their kids about why the campaign is important and educate their families about racism. It's never too late to learn."
Vision has emerged of a woman throwing an object (possibly a banana) towards Betts after he kicks his fifth goal of the game in the Crows' showdown against Port Adelaide, but the object is batted away by Crows teammate Josh Jenkins.
Both the Crows and the Power released statements in the early hours of Sunday morning condemning the behavior.
"The Adelaide Football Club is both disappointed and disgusted at the behaviour of some members of the crowd during tonight's Showdown at Adelaide Oval,'' the Crows statement said.
"Of particular concern, an object was thrown onto the field of play and in the direction of one of our players.
"The club has contacted the Port Adelaide Football Club, Adelaide Oval Stadium Management Authority and AFL, and has expressed in the strongest possible terms that we expect significant action to be taken against any person found guilty of anti-social behaviour."
The Power added, "Port Adelaide is appalled by the vision and will not tolerate this type of anti-social behaviour at its games.
"Any object thrown onto the field in the direction of players, coaches or umpires is completely unacceptable and the club will conduct a full investigation in the coming days.
"Port Adelaide implemented a spectator code of conduct in 2014 for all its members and supporters to ensure Adelaide Oval is a family friendly environment at its games."
Eddie Betts reflects on his career on the eve of his 250th game.
"Personally I didn't think I'd play more than 50 games," Betts said.
"Everyone has a story to tell about how they got to the AFL, but I'm very proud of where I've come from. To make 250 games is amazing."
Betts said he agonized over whether his decision to move to Adelaide was the right one at the end o2013.
"When I made the decision to leave Carlton, I went home and cried for three hours," Betts said.
"I sat on the bed and I said to myself, 'am I making the right choice'?
"We just had to move on and get over here.
"I thought it would take a while for the crowd to embrace me, (but) since day one (the fans) embraced me, the footy club embraced me, the players (embraced me)."
Immersed in his role as leader of the Adelaide mob, Eddie Betts rates the AFL's Indigenous Round as equal significance to a final.
The brilliant forward and his Crows teammates will wear a jumper designed by his aunt as the League celebrates indigenous influences in round 10.
"It's very spiritual and it has got a lot of healing as well," Betts said of the jumper for the Crows, who have dealt with deaths of coaches Phil Walsh and Dean Bailey in recent years.
"What the club has been through in the last three years, I'm glad that she put a lot of healing through this jumper because I think this club needs a little bit of healing."
Eddie Betts earns the 2015 Goal of the Year award for his left foot barrel from where the boundary line meets the 50m arc against Fremantle in round nine.
Luke Brown says training with Crows teammate and one of the best small fowards in the competition, Eddie Betts, has helped his game immensely.
"He's pretty much – in pre-season – who I play on the most and it's like you play an extra game each week on the best small forward in the competition," Brown said.
"It gives me great confidence going into each week."
The AFL clears Adelaide and their former chief executive Steven Trigg of any wrongdoing over Eddie Betts' move to the Crows two years ago.
The AFL's general counsel Andrew Dillon said the League was satisfied its rules were adhered to.
"Betts, through his management, explored a number of options at other clubs for potential consideration to his playing career, as is allowed under the rules, but came to no binding agreement before the 2013 Free Agency period," Dillon said.
Betts' manager Ned Guy has met with the AFL integrity department as the AFL looks into contract negotiations between Adelaide and the former Carlton forward.
The AFL on Wednesday confirmed it has interviewed eight people as it examines the Crows' recruitment of Betts, and "has not received any information indicating that a breach of the rules has occurred."
Mick Malthouse makes explosive claims on SEN radio that Carlton CEO Steven Trigg – who was the Crows boss in 2013 – had told him that Eddie Betts had an agreement with Adelaide 18 months before he left Carlton.
"Steven Trigg assured us when he arrived here 'Don't take it too personally, we – being Adelaide – had him stitched up 18 months out'," Malthouse said about Betts.
"So it's very, very difficult when you come to a football club and a bloke like that plays very cautious football because his heart and soul, certainly his mind, was everywhere else.
"He tried to do the right thing, but when you've got that load of 'Will I go, won't I go, but I've already signed' … so we lose that sort of player."
The AFL says they will make an inqury about Malthouse's claim.
"We would make an inquiry to see if we need to do anything that would require us to investigate further," an AFL spokesman said.
Betts' manager Ned Guy has adamantly refuted Malthouse's claim.
"It just didn't happen. He didn't agree to it until after the season finished. I find it pretty disappointing that he would question Eddie's intent on the footy, saying he played cautiously," Guy said.
"By his own admission he didn't have the greatest year but that was pretty disappointing to hear that from Mick.
"He broke his jaw in round one, came back and played three games and broke (St Kilda player) Nathan Wright's jaw, which he was really regretful about, and so he missed more footy.
"He had no continuity in his footy in the first half of the year but he kicked five goals in the two finals they played."
Carlton CEO Stephen Trigg says he is unsure why sacked Carlton coach Mick Malthouse made the insinuation that Eddie Betts already had an agreement with Adelaide 18 months before he left Carlton.
"I'm hoping it was an error of terminology," Trigg said.
"There are eight people sitting around the list management table who heard quite consistently from me the reference to Betts being quite unrelated to his acquisition, but more about what Carlton needs to do in terms of its database and its analytics and what Adelaide did from 12 months out in terms of benchmarking Betts against every small forward in the competition to arrive at a valuation and a decision on him.
"That is a very, very far cry from having an agreement."
The Crows issued a statement late on Tuesday afternoon denying any wrong-doing over the signing of Betts.
"We are extremely disappointed by comments made to the contrary today," it said.
"The Carlton Football Club and Betts' manager have also publicly refuted any suggestion of wrongdoing by our club."
The AFL has changed the rule on balls hitting goal umpires after a controversial incident involving Eddie Betts during the NAB Challenge.
Umpires called play-on – correctly, according to the rules – after the Crow's shot for goal hit the goal umpire and bounced back into play during a match against North Melbourne.
The kick would have been a goal had it not hit the umpire, and bemused the Crows players who were involved in the passage of play, including Betts himself.
On Thursday, AFL football operations manager Mark Evans said a change would be immediately implemented that would allow umpires to decide what score would have resulted if the ball had not hit the umpire.
Eddie Betts says he loved the opportunity to return to his former home in Port Lincoln where he booted four goals in the Crows' NAB Challenge match against North Melbourne.
"It was fantastic, probably half of them were my family," Betts said.
"I watched a DVD two nights ago – it was the under-17, 2001 grand final; so it had been 14 years since I played on that ground.
"I'm always nervous before games but a little bit more this time because my family was all watching and I'm hoping to play well."
Port Lincoln local Eddie Betts has delighted his home-town fans, kicking four goals as Adelaide opened its NAB Challenge with a 10-point win over North Melbourne at Centenary Oval.
Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson says Eddie Betts is earning his $2 million dollar contract with the Crows over four years.
Betts has already kicked 33 goals so far from 15 games.
"He's worth every cent we're paying him," Adelaide coach Sanderson said following his side's 68 points over GWS.
"He kicked another five today and he's just electric for us.
"He's a really difficult match-up and he's been really important for us throughout the entire season and again today he kicked some really important goals for us."
Eddie Betts prepares to face his former Carlton teammates when the Crows take on the Blues at the MCG in round 10.
"It's a unique situation where you come up and play against a team that you love, you're a life member – nine years there – love all the boys and you hate to see them lose," Betts said.
"They're all still my best mates. I had Mitch Robinson staying at home on the weekend – he's pretty gutted because he's out for two weeks on report and he wanted to play because he said he was going to bash me.
"There will be a lot of banter [but] it won't be fun and games out there, we'll be pretty serious. Once the game is finished, we'll be brothers again."
Kyle Hartigan credits his solid early season form to mentoring from Crows senior recruits James Podsiadly and Eddie Betts.
"'Pods' has been a great mentor, he's been around for a long time – I sit down and do my edits (game review) with 'Pods' every week and he goes through and gives me the forward's aspect of my positioning," Hartigan said.
"I know for Luke Brown, Rory Laird over the pre-season coming to training and playing on Eddie Betts, one of the best small forwards in the game, every training session gives you every confidence when you go out and play.
"Them coming into the club and passing on their knowledge and being able to play on the good players has really benefited our group."
After officially becoming a Crow, Eddie Betts says Carlton will always have a special place in his heart.
"No matter what happens, deep down inside I will always be a Blue boy," Betts said.
"I want to say thank you to the Carlton Football Club for giving me the chance to play footy. I was overlooked in the national draft and they gave me the opportunity.
"Over the years the club has done a lot for me and my career, especially Shane O'Sullivan, who has been like a father to me. Whenever I was down and out, Shane sent me in the right direction."
Carlton recruiting manager Shane Rogers says the club is expecting to lose Eddie Betts to either Adelaide or North Melbourne who have made better offers to the goalsneak.
"The rumour is Adelaide and North have both put an offer in," Rogers said.
"We haven't heard form either of those clubs. We obviously think something's up. We assume he'll let us know soon."
Rogers, however, says the club is optimistic of gaining the services of Magpie midfielder Dale Thomas.
"We're waiting to hear back from his manager to see what Dale's thinking, but we're quietly confident that we might be able to do something there," he said.
"We've put him through two or three medicals. We're comfortable with what the doctors have told us."
Crows coach Brenton Sanderson confirms Adelaide is keen on free agent Eddie Betts.
"Eddie would definitely make us a better team and he's one guy we're certainly looking at," Sanderson said.
"Eddie's playing for Carlton at the moment, he's in the middle of finals campaign, we'll let him finish that off and we'll be in discussion with his manager."
Sanderson also expresses an interest in Jared Polec who has informed Brisbane of his desire to return home to South Australia,
"I remember that draft, I loved his tapes…he's another one, he's a talent," Sanderson said.
"He's got speed, he's the right height, he's a left footer… I know he wants to come home, so he's one name that's definitely on our list."
Contract talks with restricted free agent Eddie Betts has been dragging on but Carlton believe that a deal is imminent.
"We didn't quite get to the line over the bye, but we're confident we'll finalise a deal in the next couple of weeks," Blues football manager Andrew McKay said.
"Obviously, Eddie's a restricted free agent, but we believe he's happy here and expect him to re-sign."
Carlton says they are confident of securing Eddie Betts, who will otherwise become a restricted free agent by the end of the season, soon.
"We've only just started again and we'll really get stuck into it in the bye weekend. Eddie's keen to wrap it all up by the end of the bye fortnight," Carlton football operations manager Andrew McKay said.
"I think we'll be fine. We don't see any problems. It sounds like Eddie wants to stay, which is good."
Eddie Betts will be sidelined for an indefinite period after suffering a broken jaw during an accidential collision with a Richmond opponent in round one.
"Eddie sustained the injury early in the game, so it was a great effort in his behalf to keep playing, but he won't be playing this week and we'll be guided by the doctor," Carlton football manager Andrew McKay said.
Heath Scotland wins his first John Nicholls Medal as Carlton's best and fairest with 362 votes ahead of Eddie Betts with 353 votes and skipper Chris Judd with 334.
Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Josh Hunt is seen to step on Eddie Betts' hand during Geelong's clash with Carlton but is let off by the MRP with only a fine of $1,350, a decision which perplexes Blues coach Brett Ratten.
"Are these the things that we want to see when we go and watch our kids play footy?" Ratten asked.
"They make the decisions. I just sit there and see what happens in the game and coach the team. It's not my decision to comment (on), but you wouldn't like to go to junior footy and see that happening."
Friday, 27 August 2010
Carlton goalsneak Eddie Betts says football saved him from a life of crime and probable jailtime.
"If I didn't get drafted I would have nothing," Betts said.
"I had no work, I had no education, I couldn't read or write. I was going down the wrong path. I would be in jail or I wouldn't have a clue where I'd be, that's the truth."
Friday, 2 July 2010
Carlton coach Brett Ratten says Eddie Betts is in All-Australian form after the small forward kicked five goals against Brisbane.
"Eddie's playing outstanding football and he was best-on-ground for mine," Ratten said.
"He was outstanding - he's in All-Australian form. It's not the first time he's done that, but I think it's also what he does for Chris Yarran and Jeff Garlett as well. He [also] gives the big forwards some confidence as well to know ... that they don't have to mark every ball that comes in."
Monday, 26 April 2010
Carlton youngster Chris Yarran is relishing the chance to play in a forward-line with fellow indigenous stars Eddie Betts and Jeff Garlett.
"I grew up with Jeffrey, so I have a fair idea on how he is going to play," Yarran said.
"Eddie is a good leader towards us - he took us under his wing since we got to the club. It is good to have us three in the side and it was a special moment for all of us to just contribute really well on the day."
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Forward Eddie Betts' suspension for a Christmas party indiscretion was a turning point in his career, coach Brett Ratten says.
"It's been a real turning point for Eddie - there's no doubt about it," Ratten said.
"His GPS numbers are the highest they've been in his career, his sprint efforts, his repeat efforts - everything. I think out of a mishap or a bad choice, he's made some really positive steps."
Friday, 29 January 2010
The AFL will take no further action against Carlton players following the Blues' controversial end of year celebrations involving drunken antics by Eddie Betts, Ryan Houlihan and Andrew Walker.
"It is important that the club continues to pursue a culture of responsible use of alcohol," AFL general manager of football Adrian Anderson said.
"The club has already taken steps to improve in this area, but the AFL will appoint an appropriate person to consult with the club to further assist the club in its approach to responsible use of alcohol."
Monday, 4 January 2010
Errant trio Eddie Betts, Ryan Houlihan and Andrew Walker have been suspended from the Blues for a month and will not be eligible for NAB Cup selection.
The trio incurred their suspensions following a drunken episode aboard a cruise ship just prior to the Christmas break.
"They will be suspended from the club immediately for a period of one month, and during this time they will complete all training away from the rest of the player group, and with the Northern Bullants," club president Stephen Kernahan said.
"They will also be unavailable for selection for the NAB Cup, and we know this will impact on their preparation for the home and away season - clearly it was completely unacceptable."
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Eddie Betts is disciplined by Carlton after being arrested and held in police cells for a short period due to being found drunk on Queen Street in Melbourne's CBD.
"While Eddie Betts was officially on leave he still has a responsibility, like all players, to maintain the standards that are required of all Carlton players and on this occasion he has not done so," Blues chief executive Gregg Swann said.
Friday, 28 August 2009
The suspension of Blues forwards Cameron Cloke, Eddie Betts and Jeff Garlett has given Carlton assistant coach Matthew Lappin headaches in the lead-up to the Adelaide clash.
"Eddie's number two in the league for forward 50 tackles and Jeff, on average in the games he's played, rates really highly as well," Lappin said.
"We've taken out our two best forward 50 tacklers alongside Brendan, who'll be our best tackler this week hopefully, so that's a fair bit going out of side defensively in the front half, so hopefully the guys who come into that area can carry a bit of that slack.
"We might go a bit tall at times this week just to mix things up a bit and see what might work for us in a final if we need to go that way."
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Carlton has suspended Cameron Cloke, Eddie Betts and Jeff Garlett for Saturday's clash with Adelaide for being late to a recovery session scheduled on the Sunday after their win against Melbourne.
"This is very disappointing for all concerned, particularly as we play such an important game against Adelaide on Saturday, the final game before we embark on our finals campaign. While all three players have apologised for their tardy behaviour this decision ensures that everyone understands the disciplines that are required when you are part of the Carlton Football Club," said Blues football manager Steven Icke.
Tuesday, 19 May 2009
Carlton goalsneak Eddie Betts looks certain to exceed his modest pre-season expectations of exceeding his 2008 goal tally of 25 in 2009.
"The last few years I kicked 25 and not higher than 30, so my goal was to get over 30. So hopefully I can do that," Betts said.
"It's been a great start by the team, I just try to put in 100 per cent every week. If I can do that and do all my defensive actions, hopefully the rest will come like the goals.
"And if Fev drops a few marks for me, I'll get the crumbs."