Taylor Walker has claimed he had “no idea” about what was going to happen at Adelaide’s controversial pre-season camp in 2018.
Tex, who retired at the end of last season, had to give the club his blessing to carry out the camp because he was captain.
But he claims he was not aware some activities would breach players’ confidentiality and leave them upset.
It is alleged the camp activities included weaponising personal trauma and cultural insensitivity towards Indigenous Australians.
“I felt like I was put in a bit of a vulnerable position because I was encouraged a lot to back it in, however I had f***ing no idea what we were doing,” Walker told the Adelaide Advertiser.
“I was like, well, if you can guarantee us that it’s going to help us, then I’ll back you in.
“And I felt f***ing pissed off about that. That’s what I was probably disappointed about the most.
“There was some stuff that they (the facilitators) said to a few of the boys and you’re thinking, ‘Not everyone in this group knows that’.
“So that’s when a few boys got a bit disgruntled, which is fair enough. I felt quite p***** off that I had to endorse it, but I had no idea what we were going to do.
“The intention … I could see what the club wanted to do. Execution … poor.”
Walker previously stated he took a “positive experience” from the camp, though some of his teammates did not feel the same way.
Eddie Betts labelled the camp “weird” and “disrespectful” while Josh Jenkins said some of the activities were “dumb” and “disgraceful”.
“Each player was scolded with abuse and physicality so they’d be physically and emotionally worn out,” Jenkins said.
“My childhood is a source of shame, pain and pride… I am proud of I am where I am today despite any potential hurdles thrown my way as a young person, but I will always have the pain of not having a family to lean on in tough times or to celebrate with on celebratory occasions.
”This is where I’m happy to try and explain why some rituals were confronting and some were ‘nothing to see here’ and easily moved on from for others.
”In my view, the boys who had had a more ‘normal’ or traditional upbringing without any real trauma or tragedy in their lives had very little to be poked and prodded about.
“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.
“Post the camp, the club completely fell apart.
“It’s the worst idea I’ve ever witnessed or been a part of in my adult life.”