A former Adelaide assistant has taken a swipe at departing star Brad Crouch, saying the decision to let him go for a second-round draft pick was the right call to make.

The Crows were handed pick 23 as compensation for losing Crouch – significantly less than the pick two they had hoped to receive.

“They’d be disappointed but I think (pick 23) would be fair value,” Scott Camporeale said on ABC Grandstand.

“Essentially from my gut-feel is that they wouldn’t have wanted to offer any more than three-years.

“They don’t want to pay a premium for a player that we know may break down in the future, when players leave they get a premium to leave. There is no doubt about that.

“Brad is getting a premium to leave and play for St Kilda.”

Crouch signed a four-year deal with the Saints last week, on reportedly close to $700,000 per season, after Adelaide chose not to match the offer.

Crows head of football Adam Kelly had said if Adelaide weren’t compensated by a top three pick, then they would match the deal and keep the midfielder at West Lakes.

But the Saints called Adelaide’s bluff, with the Crows failing to match their bid within the 72-hour limit.

Camporeale said if the Crows had matched the Saints deal, it would hurt the team’s re-build.

“I just think that is really hard from a club and a team dynamic and probably for Nicksy to rebuild and get (Crouch) back in,” he said.

“Yes he would contribute to the team but they would have weighed up if Brad Crouch’s minutes are more important than Harry Schoenberg’s going forward.”