Superstar mid-forward Izak Rankine could miss three weeks after a late fourth-quarter hamstring scare was confirmed as a strain.
The incident occurred in the dying seconds of Adelaide's controversial four-point loss to Collingwood on Saturday at the MCG, when Rankine exploded from a stoppage and sent the ball forward for a final chance at victory, only to be pinned for running too far and unfortunately pinging his hamstring in the process.
Crows' Assistant Coach Nathan Van Berlo confirmed the blow on Monday morning, revealing it to be a similar case as his three-week hamstring stint last season.
"Speaking to Darren (Burgess) we believe it's similar in nature to what he did last year and it will be around about the three-week mark," van Berlo said.
While an injury to a side's arguable best player clearly dampens spirits and hurts the chances of winning, Adelaide should expect to get through this three-week stint with flying colours, facing three of the bottom sides - West Coast, Hawthorn and Richmond in Rounds 11, 12 and 13 in Rankine's absence.
However, an MCG meeting with Hawthorn does shape as a tougher contest than recent records suggest, and Rankine's explosive 30-disposal, one-goal performance on the same ground over the weekend was a key factor in Adelaide's gallant comeback effort.
"He's (Rankine) been playing some outstanding footy and (it was) arguably the best game I've seen him play on the weekend, just his ability to win the footy, hit the scoreboard and he's been doing that for weeks on end now for us, so it's going to be a big loss for us in the interim," van Berlo added.
"But I guess all we can do is hope that he comes back fresh and ready to go and attack the remainder of the year for us."
Adelaide's next clash - West Coast at home on Sunday - may also prove a tougher match than expected, as Harley Reid, Jake Waterman and an in-form Eagles side visit the Crows fresh off a convincing win over a top-four contender, with the added motivation of claiming their fourth win and moving ahead of their South Aus enemies on the AFL ladder.
Rankine's absence may prove crucial should Adelaide find themselves without an answer for West Coast's newfound offensive flare, led by the prized prodigy growing evermore ominous in just his 10th game at the level.
Fans of both sides will watch on with keen interest as Adelaide look to prove their top eight credentials, while West Coast look to close in on the mid-table dwellers through the second half of the season.
