Melbourne recruit Jake Lever has put Adelaide's treatment of him during the 2017 trade period down to his former club being caught in the "heat of the moment" and says he doesn't hold any grudges against the Crows players, coaches or captain Taylor Walker.
Speculation around Lever's contract dominated the Crows' 2017 season, which ended in a grand final drubbing at the hands of Richmond, and prompted Walker and some Crows coaching staff to publicly question Lever's motives for moving home to Victoria.
After Adelaide's grand final loss and as Lever's move to the Demons was being negotiated, the defender was subject to stinging public criticism from Walker and Crows footy boss Brett Burton.
"It's probably a good thing I was overseas for six weeks right after the grand final," Lever said. "It was a hard time for my family and me when I read it [what was being said about him in the media and social media].
"Obviously with the things that happened, it was probably a bit of the heat of the moment. But I keep in contact with my mates who are at the club ... because you build relationships for the three years that I was there that you can't replace."
During the off-season Walker suggested Lever, 21, had chosen "money over success", while reports claimed senior players wanted Lever dropped from the Crows' finals side while his future was the subject of such rampant speculation.
The Crows' footy boss Burton also told radio station SEN that Lever's decision to move clubs was pretty clearly a "financially motivated" one. Lever was eventually told not to attend the club's best and fairest event.
"I got a phone call from Brett Burton on the Thursday and he asked me if I was going to come. Probably then I hadn't made up my mind with how everything was going and he sort of cut in and said that was what he was ringing me for, he was advising me not to come.
"So I was probably a bit disappointed. But with how everything turned out that week it was probably the best thing. I wanted to be there with my mates but after everything happened it was probably the best thing."
Lever said he was sure he could catch up with Walker in the future for a beer. The pair reportedly shared a post-grand final phone conversation where Walker spoke angrily to Lever about his decision to leave.
"I think the Tex thing got blown out of proportion a little bit. I didn't really have a problem with him and I am fine with Tex," Lever said.
"He was disappointed, as he should be, and he is the captain of the club and he probably doesn't want people leaving his football club and he is a passionate person, a passionate player but he wished me congratulations with my engagement ... and I sent him a message back.
"That's all I have heard from him but I am sure if I catch up with him in the future there's not going to be too much problem."
Melbourne gave the Crows two first round draft picks (one a future selection) and a future fourth round pick to acquire the highly rated Lever and a second round pick and a future third round pick.
Speaking on day one of pre-season Lever said he was determined to help in "making the Melbourne Football Club great again".
He said he chose to come home because of he and his fiancee Jess wanted to start a family in the same state as their parents. He said he chose the Demons because they played an exciting brand of football and were flush with young talent.
The grand final loss with the Crows' has "put the fire in the belly" to help Melbourne make the finals, Lever said, after the Demons were sensationally dumped from a top eight spot in a frantic end to the 2017 season where they lost to Collingwood and West Coast beat Adelaide to eliminate them from September action.
He said he expected "a few boos" and some playful banter when the Demons face the Crows in round 10 (home) and round 19 (away), but that he was looking forward to the prospect.
"I'm sure Tex Walker's eager to try and knock me around the ear but it's all a bit of fun. In the end I am mates with a lot of these guys so if I wasn't going to get any stick i'd be pretty disappointed," he said.
