Editing Adelaide Football Club (section)

====2015: Death of Phil Walsh====
The 2015 season started incredibly successfully for the Adelaide Football Club with a 77-point win over reigning preliminary finalists {{AFL NM}}. Newly appointed coach [[Phil Walsh (Australian footballer)|Phil Walsh]] oversaw a rapidly improving team that became known for their skilled ball use and ability to grind out wins. During the season, Adelaide was cleared of any wrongdoing by the AFL in the [[Eddie Betts]] affair, which became newsworthy following an allegation that Betts's transfer to the Crows from {{AFL Car}} had been illegally signed and approved as much as 18 months prior to his move.<ref>{{cite web|title=AFL Statement: Crows cleared|url=http://www.afc.com.au/news/2015-05-28/afl-statement-eddie-betts|website=Adelaide Football Club|date=28 May 2015 |access-date=28 May 2015|archive-date=28 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528114701/http://www.afc.com.au/news/2015-05-28/afl-statement-eddie-betts|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[File:Phillip Walsh tribute Adelaide Oval.jpg|thumb|Fans gather at Adelaide Oval to pay tribute to [[Phil Walsh (Australian footballer)|Phil Walsh]].]]
Tragically, on 3 July, two days prior to Adelaide's then-scheduled round 14 match against {{AFL Gee}}, coach [[Phil Walsh (Australian footballer)|Phil Walsh]] was stabbed to death by his son at the age of 55 in his [[Somerton Park, South Australia|Somerton Park]] home.<ref name="walsh death">{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-07-03/phil-walsh-dead-after-domestic-dispute|title=Phil Walsh dead after domestic dispute|first=Harry|last=Thring|publisher=AAP|work=Australian Football League|date=3 July 2015|access-date=3 July 2015|archive-date=3 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703020250/http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-07-03/phil-walsh-dead-after-domestic-dispute|url-status=live}}</ref> His son Cy Walsh would later be found not guilty of murder due to mental incompetence and placed under a lifetime psychiatric supervision licence, ordering that he be detained indefinitely in a secure psychiatric facility.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-28/cy-walsh-found-not-guilty-due-to-mental-incompetence/7884062 |first1=Candice |last1=Prosser |title=Cy Walsh not guilty of murdering Crows coach Phil Walsh due to mental incompetence|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=28 September 2016|access-date=22 March 2020|archive-date=3 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201003193136/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-28/cy-walsh-found-not-guilty-due-to-mental-incompetence/7884062|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-20/cy-walsh-to-be-detained-in-secure-psychiatric-facility/8134088 |first1=Candice |last1=Prosser |title=Cy Walsh to be detained in secure psychiatric facility|publisher=Australian Broadcasting Corporation|date=20 December 2016|access-date=22 March 2020|archive-date=1 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181001202513/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-20/cy-walsh-to-be-detained-in-secure-psychiatric-facility/8134088|url-status=live}}</ref> The tragedy was followed by an outpouring of sympathy and tributes from the club's fans and the wider AFL community.<ref>{{cite web|title=Distraught Crows fans declare #weflyasone with scarves and guernseys tribute|url=http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/07/03/09/58/distraught-players-and-fans-pay-tribute-to-afl-coach-phil-walsh|website=9News|date=3 July 2015|access-date=3 July 2015|archive-date=4 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704001929/http://www.9news.com.au/national/2015/07/03/09/58/distraught-players-and-fans-pay-tribute-to-afl-coach-phil-walsh|url-status=live}}</ref> The match against the Cats was cancelled, with both teams receiving two premiership points each.<ref name="crows-cats-cancelled">{{cite web|url=http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/phil-walsh-murdered-afl-confirms-cancellation-of-adelaide-v-geelong-rest-of-round-14-to-go-ahead/story-fnjbnts5-1227426383344|title=Phil Walsh murdered: AFL confirms cancellation of Adelaide v Geelong, rest of Round 14 to go ahead|first=Jon|last=Ralph|publisher=Herald Sun|work=Geelong Advertiser|date=3 July 2015|access-date=2 July 2015|archive-date=3 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150703150039/http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/news/phil-walsh-murdered-afl-confirms-cancellation-of-adelaide-v-geelong-rest-of-round-14-to-go-ahead/story-fnjbnts5-1227426383344|url-status=dead }}</ref> Adelaide's [[Adelaide Football Club (SANFL)|SANFL team]]'s match against {{SANFL SthA}}, scheduled for the next day, was postponed until later in the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afc.com.au/news/2015-07-03/no-games-for-crows|title=No games for Crows|website=Adelaide Football Club|date=3 July 2015|access-date=3 July 2015|archive-date=1 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901033814/https://www.afc.com.au/news/438537/no-games-for-crows|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 6 July, assistant coach [[Scott Camporeale]] was appointed interim coach for the remainder of the season, while {{AFL WC}} premiership coach [[John Worsfold]] was hired as coaching director to support Camporeale.<ref name="camporeale interim">{{cite web|url=http://www.afc.com.au/news/2015-07-06/camporeale-to-coach-worsfold-joins-nest|title=Camporeale to coach, Worsfold joins nest|website=Adelaide Football Club|date=6 July 2015|access-date=6 July 2015|archive-date=7 July 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707003130/http://www.afc.com.au/news/2015-07-06/camporeale-to-coach-worsfold-joins-nest|url-status=live}}</ref> Inspiringly, the team rebounded to win six of their next seven games and qualify for the [[2015 AFL finals series|2015 finals series]], where they defeated the [[Western Bulldogs]] by seven points in a thrilling elimination final at the MCG. Their season ended when they lost to eventual premiers {{AFL Haw}} the next week.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-09-18 |title=Hawthorn defeat Adelaide Crows in AFL semi-final – as it happened |url=http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/live/2015/sep/18/hawthorn-v-adelaide-crows-afl-semi-final-live |access-date=2022-07-25 |first=Russell |last=Jackson |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref>