The Crows, who currently sit second on the AFL ladder, have been blessed with a small injury list heading into the pointy end of the season, although three of the five rehabilitating players are products from the Goulburn Valley.
Shepparton premiership player Jordon Butts could return to the starting 22 within a fortnight as the 25-year-old continues to recover from a punctured lung.
Butts sustained the injury against the Western Bulldogs in the Crows’ round 18 win.
Adelaide’s general manager of high performance Darren Burgess said the defender would resume contact training after “good news” about his progress.
“Buttsy received some good news from the surgeon,” Burgess said.
“At the end of this week he’ll be able to partake in some main training, contact training and get into some high-speed running.
“That means probably a week or two after that he’ll be available to play.”
Meanwhile, Shepparton Swans product Josh Rachele still faces an uncertain timeline of recovery as he mends from knee surgery.
Rachele suffered his injury complaint after landing awkwardly in a marking contest against Melbourne in round 17, sustaining a posterior capsular tear along with a bone compression injury.
It is expected Rachele will not need a knee brace shortly and, while his return date is still to be decided, the 22-year-old playing football again in 2025 remains in the realm of possibility.
“Josh will get his heavy brace off this week and that will enable us to do a fair bit more work with him,” Burgess said.
“It will also give us a bit more of a picture of how far away he is from running and training, and therefore playing.
“He’s done a lot of work while in the heavy brace, with it removed he’ll be able to do a lot more.”
Additionally, former Shepparton United defender Oscar Ryan is a live chance to return from a hamstring injury before the end of Adelaide’s season, dependant on the Crows’ AFL and SANFL finals campaigns.
The 20-year-old is yet to debut, but has averaged a tick less than 16 disposals and four marks a game at state league level as the Crows’ reserves sit safely in third on the SANFL ladder.
With a seven-week timeline to his name, Ryan could return if Adelaide makes at least a SANFL preliminary final in September.
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