Adelaide powerbroker Mark Ricciuto says the Crows thought Carlton were bluffing when they refused to accept a trade offer for star Bryce Gibbs.
The Crows emerged as one of the biggest losers of the AFL trade period after failing to strike a deal for Gibbs, having gone public with their desire to bring home the contracted midfielder.
Ricciuto, who is chairman of the Crows' list management committee, says the Blues were adamant they would only trade 27-year-old Gibbs for two first-round draft picks.
"That would have been irresponsible," Ricciuto told Triple M radio on Friday.
"We thought that they might have been playing the game and then come back late and said 'okay, he wants to go home. He is probably not going to be in our next premiership side so we'll take somewhere in between'.
"If that happened, the deal would have been done yesterday. But it didn't happen. We were surprised about that, we respect that (but) we are very, very disappointed."
Carlton football boss Andrew McKay said the Blues would have been willing to move Gibbs for the right price but weren't satisfied with the Crows' offer, which is believed to have included the No.13 draft pick and a future third-round selection.
"We obviously value Bryce more highly than they do," McKay told SEN radio.
"They weren't close. We were very clear with them. It wasn't a matter of us mucking them around at all."
Gibbs had been keen to return to Adelaide so he and his partner could reconnect with family and receive help with their young son.
The 2006 No.1 draft pick is contracted through to 2019 and the Blues are confident they can help him through his personal issues.
"We believe we'll be able to get him back into the fold and not make him feel too awkward," McKay said.
