UPDATE: The Adelaide Crows have been cleared of any dodgy dealings in recruiting gun forward Eddie Betts.

The AFL today concluded informal inquiries after ousted Carlton coach Mick Malthouse’s bombshell allegation that former Adelaide CEO Steven Trigg boasted the club had “stitched up” a deal with Betts 18 months before he left the Blues.

But as forecast by InDaily, the AFL found no cause to launch a formal investigation.

In a statement late today, General Counsel Andrew Dillon said the AFL had interviewed 14 people, including officials from four AFL clubs and two registered player agents, as well as examining “documentation from a number of parties”.

“The AFL is satisfied the AFL Rules were adhered to,” said Dillon.

“In the 2013 AFL season, player Eddie Betts was classified as a Restricted Free Agent, meaning the Carlton FC had matching-bid rights on his services for 2014.

“Player Betts, through his management, explored a number of options at other clubs for potential consideration to his playing career, as is allowed under the rules, but came to no binding agreement before the 2013 Free Agency Period.”

The AFL reportedly spoke to Port Adelaide and North Melbourne, and it’s understood Betts was also pursued by Geelong.

Under the AFL Rules, Clubs cannot reach a binding agreement with a free agent from another Club prior to the commencement of the relevant free agency period. But Dillon said Betts and the Adelaide Crows FC “lodged a Free Agency bid under the rules and Carlton then formally notified the AFL it would not match that offer.”

Malthouse has also dramatically backed away from his incendiary insinuations, in an interview with Fox Footy.

He has also spoken to the AFL, and told Fox Footy he “broadly made sure (they knew) that I thought Steven was totally innocent of any mischief”.

“It was more about structures: `this is how you set the thing up’,” he said.

“If there was a slight boasting there, so, `this is how it’s done’ and he was running that.

“I think it’s good practice to get something set up.”

– with AAP