Injury to Nathan van Berlo adds to early season woes for his side.
After winning just one of their first three games, the Adelaide Crows will now have to try and get their season back on track without their on-field leader.
Nathan van Berlo has been ruled out of playing for the next month after picking up bone bruising in his knee.
The contact to the skipper’s leg came against Port Adelaide last round and the pain eventually saw the Crows sub out their captain in the third quarter for Bernie Vince.
With the side desperately needing a win to kick-start their season, officials considered risking the wingman in their clash against the Bulldogs.
But when scans said the damage was worse than they had realised they thought better of risking their captain to further injury so early in the season.
“We think we’ve had plenty of guys in form in the SANFL; straight to mind comes (Tom) Lynch, Jarryd Lyons from Glenelg, Sam Kerridge from Sturt, Rory Laird from West Adelaide – so there’s plenty of guys who would be putting their hand up to take a spot that’s available,” Crows football manager Phil Harper said.
“There’s a lot of guys in form in the SANFL and some of them need to be rewarded.
“All those guys would be capable but there are already guys who are in the team who could go into that role.”
Adelaide vice-captain Scott Thompson will take over the top job this weekend when Crows play the Western Bulldogs.
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