Crows coach Phil Walsh and his team had an early-morning swim on Monday as punishment for losing the ground-ball statistic against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

In the lead-up to the clash with the Bulldogs, Walsh warned his players they would be “jumping off a jetty” if they lost the key stat for a third-straight week. Adelaide did lose the ground-balls in its disappointing 57-point loss to the Dogs, but wiser heads prevailed on the jetty jump.

“We had a swim this morning. I don’t like any loss … but that (loss) was unacceptable. I think it’s important our fans know that there are some consequences (for failing to deliver on) non-negotiables,” Walsh told FIVEaa.

“I was actually at the footy on Friday night for the Crows v Glenelg (SANFL) game and the Mayor of Holdfast Bay, Stephen Patterson, reminded me it’s illegal to jump off a jetty, so we didn’t do that.”

Walsh confirmed it was himself and the players involved in the dip in freezing waters.

“I’m happy to report to our fans that they (the players) were all there early. We had a lovely swim,” he said.

“They (the assistant coaches) put their hand up too, but I said ‘I’ll take this one for the team’.”

The first-year Senior Coach also revealed he’d made the players review the entire third quarter – the quarter he was most disappointed with – of the loss to the Bulldogs.

“The third quarter was unacceptable. We all had a look at it today,” he said.

“I made the guys sit through the whole third quarter and we gave each other feedback. I have the 24-hour rule though, so it’s done. But I’ve warned the guys we don’t want a repeat performance.”

Walsh also lamented Adelaide’s loss in another important statistic, the tackle count.

Prior to Sunday, the Crows were the No.1 tackling team in the competition but they ranked last for tackles in Round Four and lost the tackle differential for the first time this season.

“You get beaten by 57 points and also get beaten in the tackle count,” he said.

“That speaks for itself, that’s effort.”