Adelaide utility Dan Curtin is set to miss around three months following surgery on a dislocated kneecap.
Curtin suffered the injury in a wrestling incident with captain Jordan Dawson on Monday morning, forcing the young star from the ground on a stretcher.
Following scans, he will go under the knife and be forced to the sidelines for at least three months.
That timeframe will delay the start of his 2026 campaign, with the setback likely to see him miss at least the first six weeks of the home and away season.
It is a devastating blow for both the Crows and Curtin after a breakout season in 2025, finishing second in the Rising Star.
The 197cm left-footer had been tipped to feature prominently through the Crows' midfield rotation in 2026 after an eye-catching start to the pre-season.
The Crows will kickstart their campaign without Curtin on March 14 against Collingwood at the MCG.
