“It hurt, for sure”: Adams talks about Pie’s departure and what made him decide to move.
Taylor Adams, a recent signing with the Sydney Swans, has provided more details about his departure from Collingwood, saying it “hurt” and that he felt unimportant to the Magpies’ future.
Adams shockingly left the Pies in the trade deadline of last year following their grand final victory—a game he missed due to a hamstring injury he sustained earlier in the finals series—after 175 games over nine seasons.
The 30-year-old has already talked about his decision to leave after discussions with his manager, Winston Rous of Phoenix Management Group, late in the season. He has also talked about how much of an emotional toll missing the grand final will take.
Watch West Indies vs. Australia on Kayo Sports. All Live Tests, ODIs, and T20Is without any commercial breaks during play. Are you new to Kayo? Launch Your Free Trial Right Now >
Speaking on 3AW’s Wide World of Sports on Tuesday night, Adams disclosed that, despite being forced out of the midfield before the former Magpie “reluctantly” allowed him to consider other options, he and Rous exchanged some “spicy” words about the prospect of a trade.
However, Adams claimed it became obvious to him he needed a fresh start elsewhere after talking with important Collingwood figures in the days following the grand final, such as senior coach Craig McRae and football boss Graham Wright, realizing the club was moving in a different direction.
After the season ended and the dust had settled, I had a few conversations with some of the important football club figures. It became very clear to me that looking for another football team was highly advised,” Adams told 3AW.
By then, it was Monday after the grand final, and my manager had received some interest from Sydney. “Well, we’re going to have to go see what this is about now,” I uttered. On Wednesday, I boarded a plane and met with management and “Horse,” the Swans coach John Longmire, up in Sydney.
“I spoke with Craig McRae and Graham Wright on a few occasions back and forth. I simply didn’t feel that Collingwood was the best place for me to pursue my future.
Adams responded, “Yeah, it hurt, absolutely,” when asked if it hurt. Over the past 24 months, I could kind of see it coming together. More so than the team, I continued to feel like a truly valued member of the club. The football team was clearly heading in a different direction.
I’m a realist; that’s what happens in football. The Collingwood Football Club has some very talented young players. They felt that was the best course of action, which unfortunately meant that my job might be in jeopardy.
“I jumped at the chance to help an emerging group up here in Sydney and play in my primary position for a football club that showed great interest in me.”
Adams, the midfield player for Collingwood, was adamant that he had the right to decide not to play in the grand final after considering the hamstring injury he had suffered days prior to his team’s victory over GWS in the preliminary final.
“I withdrew from the grand final… I didn’t want to disappoint the team, even though I knew I couldn’t play. Jarrod Wade, the Collingwood fitness director, and ‘Fly’ McRae had no influence over that choice, according to Adams.
“They said, ‘Go out and train however you want; you have until Thursday.'” and gave me every chance. On Tuesday, I could still feel the hamstrings.
“I was aware that I couldn’t endure four quarters of the most intense football.”
I knew I was done for the season, and I wasn’t going to take the chance of tiring my hamstring in the first ten minutes on grand final day and disappointing my teammates.
Adams gave credit to those close to him and his fiancée, Ellie, for supporting him during the hectic time that followed the grand final and his relocation to Sydney.
The 206-gamer said he was “numb to everything” and hadn’t fully accepted what had happened until over the Christmas break when he traveled to Europe right away after the season.
I was able to dismiss the feeling, put everything back down, and avoid really dealing with it. When I realized that I was now living in Sydney and away from friends and family, it all sort of came to a head over the Christmas season. At that point, I really started to deal with it and confided in my family friends about how I had been feeling and what I had been going through,” the new Swan stated.
“Last week, we had an extremely special night at the SCG—just the players—where I was sworn in by my new football teammates.
“I shed a few tears reflecting on the emotional aspects of the past four months, the experiences I’d had, and what
Being thankful is the one thing I’ve learned, if there is one. Even though I was already appreciative of the chance to play AFL football, I am now even more so in light of everything I have lost out on.
“I am also incredibly appreciative of the support I got from the Collingwood Football Club, as well as from everyone else there. Without them, I doubt I could have survived; it would have been a much more difficult period. Even though I wasn’t present on the day of the grand final, I was still able to see a lot of benefits from simply being a part of that football team.
Adams spent two seasons as a foundation player for the GWS Giants before moving to Collingwood at the end of 2013, so he is now back in Sydney, where his AFL career began.
Reunited with fellow Magpies player Brodie Grundy, Adams was thrilled about the chance to support a developing Swans team and maximize his later years of play in the north.
“I will always be appreciative of the chance I had to play for such a fantastic football team (Collingwood) and for such an amazing coach. However, I reasoned, “You know what, let’s go find out some new information and meet some new people,” Adams continued.
“Difficult city, outside of my comfort zone, and distant from the perks of playing in the AFL in
“I just felt like it was such a fantastic opportunity for me. Yes, I do want to disprove some people, but my main goals are to validate my own beliefs and those of those who have stood by me.
