The Adelaide Crows say their concern at Kurt Tippett’s expired contract has led to the club being investigated by the AFL.

The AFL are investigating the Crows over Tippett’s contract with Adelaide covering the 2010 to 2012 seasons.

The Crows reportedly made a secret deal with Tippett and his management when they re-signed him in 2009.

In the deal, not included in Tippett’s contract presented to the AFL, the Crows are believed to have agreed to trade the key forward to the club of his choice, for a second-round draft pick, when the contract expired.

Tippett served the three-year contract with the Crows and has requested a trade to reigning premier Sydney.

The Crows say they welcome the AFL investigation.

“The process began when the Adelaide Football Club notified the AFL of its concern relating to the matter and submitted relevant information to the league,” the Crows said in a statement on Wednesday.

“The club welcomes the investigation and continues to assist the AFL with its inquiries.”

The Crows said they could not further comment until the investigation finished.

The AFL, which enforces strict rules covering draft tampering, said they were investigating “the contracting of player Kurt Tippett to the Adelaide Crows in 2009, to cover the 2010-2012 AFL seasons”.

“The AFL is still in the process of investigating this matter and how it relates to the operation of the AFL Player Rules,” the AFL said in a statement on Wednesday.

Adelaide and Sydney have so far been unable to strike a deal for Tippett in the AFL’s trade period which ends on Friday.