Sam Jacobs to miss Betts’ milestone as he continues to battle knee injury

Adelaide ruckman Sam Jacobs will spend a third weekend on the sidelines with a knee injury and will miss good friend Eddie Betts’ 300th game on Sunday.

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Adelaide ruckman Sam Jacobs will spend a third weekend on the sidelines with a knee injury.

The Crows have revealed the big man failed to get through his training tasks on Tuesday morning and ruled him out of good friend and former Carlton teammate’s 300th game against Gold Coast on Sunday.

Crows science and medical services coordinator Steve Saunders said the club was taking a conservative approach with the 31-year-old and wasn’t able to provide a timeframe for his return.

“Sam’s knee had shown encouraging signs of improvement over the last two weeks,” Saunders said.

“Unfortunately, Sam is still presenting with meniscal symptoms that have prevented multi-directional and dynamic training progressions despite other improvements in function.

“It is a complex meniscal problem with acute and longstanding or chronic pathologies involved.

“Sam will be re-evaluated by club specialists over the next 48 hours and we will provide updates as to his management plan as the club’s medical team works through all options available.”

Jacobs injured his right knee in a collision in the Crows’ Round 2 win against Sydney, forcing Adelaide to call in apprentice ruckman Reilly O’Brien to fill the void.

O’Brien has been beaten but competitive against Geelong duo Rhys Stanley and Esava Ratugolea and North Melbourne gun Todd Goldstein in his two games this season and had the backing of midfield star Matt Crouch ahead of Sunday’s important Gold Coast clash.

“I think ROB (O’Brien) has shown that he can play at the level,” Crouch said.

“He’s a different ruckman to ‘Sauce’ (Jacobs) but he can definitely play at the level.

“He competes really well and his follow-up at ground level is pretty good as well.”