Injury-ravaged Adelaide facing an SANFL record of the unwanted kind

ONCE feared as being unbeatable, Adelaide is in serious danger of becoming the first SANFL team in 23 years to go through a season without winning a game.

CROWS CRASH: Adelaide ruckman Reilly O'Brien is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Picture: Brenton Edwards (AAP).

ONCE feared as being unbeatable, Adelaide is in serious danger of becoming the first SANFL team in 23 years to go through a season without winning a game.

The Crows’ record 112-point defeat to South Adelaide in round 11 was their 10th consecutive loss this year and left them three games below ninth-placed Glenelg with a shocking percentage of 34.07.

The last SANFL club to fail to win a game in any season was Sturt in 1995 when it went 0-22 with a percentage of 32.22.

Adelaide’s previous worst record in its five years in the SANFL was 7-11 in 2014 and last year. It made the preliminary final in 2016 before losing to eventual premier Sturt.

The Crows are almost unbeatable in the state league when they have few injuries and up to 20 AFL-listed players available to drop back to the local competition.

But they have endured a horror injury run this year which has seen the AFL team slump from grand finalist to 11th and up to half of its SANFL side filled with top-up players.

In the record-breaking loss to the Panthers two weeks ago, Adelaide fielded just 10 AFL-listed players and had three men ruled out of the game at half-time because of injury.

Crows assistant coach Josh Francou said injuries had cruelled the club’s SANFL team this season but that spirit among the group had remained high.

“When you’ve played halfway into the season and you haven’t won a game it can potentially become a bit of a burden and create a negative environment and attitude towards it but to our guys’ credit the mood is still up and the vibe is still there,’’ he said.

“Compounding that, with players coming in and out, there hasn’t been stability in the seniors (AFL team), which has flowed on down to our SANFL side. But we keep talking about playing our brand and a win is not far around the corner.’’

South's Jackson Elmes takes a flying attempt at a mark against the Crows. Picture: Tom Huntley

Adelaide, which has eight matches left to play this season, is expected to regain some key players at AFL level this week, with Rory Sloane, Tom Lynch, Rory Laird and Luke Brown rated strong chances to play against West Coast.

But several of its key SANFL performers, including big men Reilly O’Brien (shoulder), Paul Hunter (ankle) and Harry Dear (knee), are either out for the season or facing lengthy stints on the sidelines.

The Crows’ remaining SANFL draw is tough. Their next six matches - all on the road under SANFL rules - are against reigning premier Sturt, Norwood, Port Adelaide, Central District, North Adelaide and the Eagles.

They finish their season with two teams who are struggling, Glenelg and West Adelaide.