Adelaide great Mark Ricciuto concedes the club is ‘under the pump’ after falling from the eight

ADELAIDE great Mark Ricciuto concedes the club is ‘under the pump’ after a first defeat to GWS in Adelaide and even more injury concerns.

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ADELAIDE great Mark Ricciuto concedes the club is “under the pump’ having fallen from the eight and facing tough road trips with a growing casualty list ahead of the bye.

Link-man Tom Lynch (side strain) added to the high-profile casualties in Adelaide’s medical room in Adelaide’s first loss to Greater Western Sydney at Adelaide Oval on Sunday night.

Tom Lynch hits the deck hard while tackling Callan Ward of the Giants. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Media/Getty Images

Ninth-ranked Adelaide must win against 13th placed Fremantle in Perth on Sunday then rejuvenated Hawthorn at the MCG to remain in finals contention at the bye.

Skipper Taylor Walker (glute) and deputy Rory Sloane (Lisfranc) will return in round 15 at the earliest.

“They find themselves out of the eight and need to go over and take on Fremantle maybe without Nat Fyfe. It is an absolute must win game, they are under the pump the Crows,” said Crows board member Ricciuto.

The cumulative effect of injuries to Walker, midfielders Sloane, Brad Crouch, utility Mitch McGovern and half-forward Riley Knight is biting hard at West Lakes.

Adelaide boasted the league’s most potent attack for two seasons but is now mid-range and dropping. Josh Jenkins has 18 goals in 11 games to lead Adelaide’s goal tally but the host relied on long-range goals from Paul Seedsman and cameos from Richard Douglas rather than its target men to hit the scoreboard against the Giants.

Jake Kelly of the Crows tries to bust past Giant Jeremy Cameron. Picture: AAP Image/David Mariuz

Giants spearhead Jeremy Cameron monstered Adelaide’s defence with three goals.

“Less adventurous, just not hitting the targets, turning the ball over and then a forward line that is not operating anywhere near as efficiently as it has been in prior years. That is understandable with Tex out, McGovern, Lynch down and then injured,” Ricciuto told Triple M.

Ricciuto noted Adelaide’s engine room lacked zip and spark with Brad Crouch (adductor) possibly out for the season and Sloane sidelined.

“It is a different looking side at the moment, they look a bit slow through the midfield. I thought it was a really good quality game, a tough game. I thought GWS was fantastic, playing for its season and applied 33 tackles in the first quarter which was a record for them,” said Ricciuto.

“Their on-ballers in Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly (31 touches), Callan Ward and Dylan Shiel were fantastic but the Crows weren’t good enough.”

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