Crows will be without co-captain Chelsea Randall for the 2020 AFLW season after she tears ACL
The Adelaide Crows have suffered another major blow with co-captain Chelsea Randall suffering an ACL tear, just months after star Erin Phillips went down with the same injury in the 2019 AFLW Grand Final.
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Adelaide co-captain Chelsea Randall will miss next year’s AFLW season after tearing her anterior cruciate ligament at the Crows’ first pre-season training session on Monday night.
Randall’s right knee gave way while she was changing direction during a drill and scans on Tuesday confirmed the worst.
The 28-year-old is set to undergo surgery in the next few days and will take no part in the Crows’ bid for back-to-back flags in 2020.
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Randall’s injury is the Crows’ AFLW team’s fourth ACL since last March.
It follows that of co-skipper Erin Phillips and young gun Chloe Scheer who both tore their ACLs during Crows’ flag win against Carlton in March.
Both players are rated a chance of returning in 2020.
Midfielder Hannah Martin ruptured her ACL in July playing for the NT Thunder in the off-season and will also miss next season.
Adelaide also lost ruck Rhiannon Metcalfe for its 2019 campaign after she tore the ACL in her left knee during an innocuous tackle in Adelaide’s trial game against Fremantle.
Metcalfe is however tipped to return for the Crows in 2020.
Crows general manager of football administration Phil Harper said the club was “shattered” for Randall and would provide as much support as necessary during the 12-month rehab process.
“She’s obviously been our captain and an integral part of our club since the women’s team was established in 2016,” Harper said.
“We will make sure Chelsea has the best medical and rehabilitation support available so that she can be fit for the 2021 AFLW season.
“We all know how tough and courageous Chelsea is, so we know she will get through this and will still play an important part in our 2020 AFLW season.”
After a stunning on-field performance in March’s grand final, Randall – who is widely considered one of the most courageous players in women’s football – re-signed with the Crows for two more years.
This was despite widespread speculation she would return to her hometown of Perth and play for West Coast, one of four new teams joining the AFLW next season.
When she re-signed with the club, Randall told The Advertiser her love of Adelaide was what had kept her in SA and at the Crows.
“As much as I miss my family and friends back home, I’ve made new friends and new challenges here,” Randall said.
“I’m loving my football and I feel like we’ve got an opportunity to continue to learn and grow.”
According to the inaugural AFLW injury report released in September last year, torn anterior cruciate ligament injuries increased from 4.31 per 1000 hours in 2017 to 6.47 in 2018.
Women are 9.2 times more likely than men within the AFL system to sustain an ACL injury.
Harper was asked about the issue of ACLs in October and said the club was looking into increasing its preventive procedures.
“We thought that was working pretty well, until last season came around,” he said.
“We’ll have a look at exactly what we were doing and see if there’s something more we can do to try and prevent those injuries, because it’s devastating to see any player on our list get a knee injury, it’s hard work.”