New Adelaide coach Don Pyke says he hasn’t deliberately avoided speaking with his AFL players about the death of his predecessor Phil Walsh.

Pyke hasn’t talked collectively with his players about Walsh, who was allegedly murdered by his son Cy on July 3 last year, sensing it’s time for the players to try and move on.

“It’s not a deliberate tactic. It’s probably more just how humans, how we evolve really,” Pyke told reporters on Wednesday.

“I think they have had that time away from the footy club to have their own moment of reflection and understand that.

“And as we know, people grow in different ways and through different experiences. And sometimes it takes a negative or a tragic circumstance to trigger people.

“I know some of our players have got a different look on the world which is important now as they grow as men.

“It’s all part of their maturity. It allows them to grow into husbands and fathers which is the path they are on.”

Pyke said Adelaide players would have reflected individually on Walsh during the off-season.

“Each player reflects on it differently and certainly they’re dealing with that as they have come back and we haven’t really spoken about it,” he said.

“It’s more they recognise we need to move on as a footy club.

“Some, I’m sure, are grateful for the lessons they learnt last year both when he was around but also through the events.

“And that provides an opportunity for growth. I think some of our guys have grown through that unfortunate event.”

Cy Walsh on February 1 pleaded not guilty in the South Australian Supreme Court to murdering his father.

The court was told the case could still go to trial as prosecutors are yet to accept the 27-year-old was mentally incompetent at the time of the alleged murder.

The case returns to court on April 1.