The AFL has completed its investigation into Adelaide's recruitment of free agent Eddie Betts, clearing the Crows of any wrongdoing.
The league interviewed 14 people in the two days after sacked Carlton coach Mick Malthouse claimed new chief executive Steven Trigg had spoken of having Betts "stitched up" as an Adelaide player 18 months before he was eligible to sign with the club.
The AFL's investigations unit also examined emails, text messages and various other documentation provided by both clubs and Betts' management.
Betts was a restricted free agent when he signed with Adelaide at the end of 2013, meaning Carlton was able to match the four-year offer put to him under free agency rules.
Malthouse stepped away from his comments on Thursday night, saying he had defended Trigg while being interviewed by the AFL on Wednesday.
Trigg had been at the Crows at the time Betts was recruited there, and given he was suspended for his involvement in the Kurt Tippett salary cap scandal, the allegations of impropriety on his behalf were especially serious.
"Broadly, I made sure that I thought Steven was totally innocent of any mischief," Malthouse said in an interview on Fox Footy.
"It was more about structures — this is how you set the thing up. If there was a slight boast in there, so? This is how it's done."
"He was running that and I think it's good practice to get some setup like that … That's what Steve Silvagni is at the football club for, to make sure of the future of the club.
"I am sick to death of being whacked, me and my recruiting division, being whacked from outside about not knowing the facts."
The league's investigations included interviews with Betts and Malthouse, as well as officials from four clubs and two player agents.
Betts strongly considered an offer from North Melbourne before signing with Adelaide.
Under AFL rules, clubs can talk to players about to become free agents but are not permitted to strike binding deals with them until the free agency period has begun.
"In the 2013 AFL season, player Eddie Betts was classified as a restricted free agent, meaning the Carlton FC had matching-bid rights on his services for 2014," said the AFL's general counsel Andrew Dillon.
"Player 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.
"Player Betts and the Adelaide Crows FC lodged a free agency bid under the rules and the Carlton FC then formally notified the AFL it would not match that offer.
"The AFL is satisfied the AFL rules were adhered to."
Expanding on his dismissal, Malthouse believes he deserved better from the Blues.
"Outside of a sense of disappointment, I felt I deserved just a little bit better"
Malthouse noted that he symbolically tossed away his magnet board to mark the end of his 31-season coaching career.
"I went up to my study and thought, what now? The first thing that I took on in 1984 was a beautiful blue folder, magnetic board which is now 31 years old and crumbled but the magnetic strips still hold to it."
"I thought, 'nup,' took them all off, put them in the rubbish.
"Virtually said, that's it."
