Adelaide Crows track watch: Jordon Butts sustains hamstring injury, Jake Soligo in moon boot as both set for scans

The battle for a spot in Adelaide’s round 1 defence took another twist on Friday with Jordon Butts going down with injury. But who else played where during match sim? Get all the intel here.

Adelaide’s battle for its round 1 key defensive posts has taken another twist after a hamstring injury to Jordon Butts.

Butts pulled up clutching his right hamstring during match simulation at West Lakes on Friday, before leaving the field.

Based on initial scans, he is expected to miss the next few weeks and be sidelined for the internal trial.

The 24-year-old’s injury did not look serious when it happened.

After speaking to trainers on the sidelines, he limped up the race unassisted.

Butts is fighting for a key defensive spot in a backline that has lost Nick Murray (knee) for half the season and is without Tom Doedee, who is now at Brisbane.

Third-year midfielder Jake Soligo was set to have scans on his injured ankle late on Friday.

Soligo watched training from the sidelines wearing a moon boot, two days after trainers had to carry him off the field.

Adelaide defender Jordon Butts after injuring his hamstring. Picture: Roy Van Der Vegt

The Crows were optimistic he has avoided major damage but club doctors wanted to get it looked at now the swelling has subsided.

Half-back Wayne Milera trained indoors on Friday and expected to be overhis hamstring issue in two to three weeks.

Murray is considered ahead of schedule in his return from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

He has rejoined the main group for non-contact drills, work with the tackling coaches and running.

The 23-year-old, who was injured last July, was targeting a comeback in June.

“Everything is tracking really well,” Murray told the Crows’ website.

“It can get a bit repetitive during rehab at times, so to be able to get among the boys and have a kick, it’s been great.”

Top-10 pick Dan Curtin was with the main group early on Friday, before sitting out the match simulation to run with Murray.

Curtin is building slowly from a jarred knee and still aiming to play in the internal trial on February 16.

Match simulation featured a probables versus the rest for the most part.

The stronger blue team’s defence included Butts, Mark Keane, Max Michalanney, Brodie Smith, Mitch Hinge, Josh Worrell and Will Hamill.

Top Crows draftee Dan Curtin at training on Friday. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

Wayne Milera trained indoors for most of the session. Picture: Roy Van Der Vegt

Milera’s absence opened the door for Hamill to stake his claim.

The other side’s backline had Patrick Parnell, swingman Elliott Himmelberg, James Borlase, draftee Oscar Ryan and Luke Nankervis.

Other notable team selections included Ned McHenry and recruit Chris Burgess in the forward line for the yellow weaker line-up, while Sam Berry was on ball for that team.

Michalanney, Hinge and Berry were among those to catch the eye during the session – the first two with their rebound and delivery to the forwards.

Berry, who played 35 AFL games in 2021-22, then just four last season, impressed with his grunt work against the first-choice midfield.