Thursday, 21 September 2017: Adelaide coach Don Pyke says he and his AFL players aren't disrespecting the national anthem by adopting their much-talked about stance and stare.
Adelaide aren't disrespecting the national anthem by adopting their much-talked about stare, Crows coach Don Pyke says.
Embed from Getty ImagesPyke and his players adopted a stern stance while staring at their Greater Western Sydney opponents during the anthem before their AFL qualifying final win.
And the Crows boss dismisses suggestions from some pundits that they're using the anthem as a tactic to unsettle opponents.
"No, we certainly wouldn't disrespect the national anthem," Pyke told reporters on Thursday.
"I think how we stood was how we stood."
Pyke didn't commit to repeating the staring stance during the anthem before Friday night's preliminary final against Geelong.
"We will see what we do tomorrow night," he said.
The so-called Crows stare has also been dismissed by Geelong coach Chris Scott as a factor.
Scott said he and his Cats players would stand but not link arms during the anthem.
"I feel pretty strongly that we're not 'linkers' at the national anthem, we just stand side-by-side," he told reporters on Wednesday.
"I don't sing either and I know I'm putting myself on the line here, because there are a lot of patriotic people who think you should sing during the anthem.
"But it's more just respect for the people next to me. If you heard me sing, you'd quickly change your view on whether I should do it or not."
