How Crows, Power cover injury crisis after Josh Rachele, Sam Powell-Pepper injury
The Crows will have to cover for Josh Rachele until finals after the creative forward’s injury against the Demons, but the Power have a more difficult equation after their injury crisis.
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Josh Rachele’s finals hopes could still be alive after the Crows small forward avoided rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament.
Rachele will undergo knee surgery for a posterior capsular tear, ruling him out for the short-term as Adelaide pursues a top-four berth and first September appearance in eight seasons.
The Crows are hopeful he will be back this year but will not have a time frame for his return until they see how he recovers from the procedure.
Rachele landed awkwardly in a marking contest during the second term of Sunday’s win over Melbourne and subbed off.
The news was not so positive at Port Adelaide, where forward Sam Powell-Pepper was confirmed to have suffered a second ACL injury in as many campaigns.
In-form key defender Esava Ratugolea (hamstring) and ruckman Dante Visentini (ankle) also suffered season-ending injuries on a night of carnage for the Power at the Gabba.
Rachele will likely be in a brace for a few weeks, before progressing his training loads.
“Thankfully, Josh has avoided any ligament damage in the knee, which is a relief,” Crows high-performance manager Darren Burgess said.
Third-placed Adelaide has seven games remaining – against the Western Bulldogs (away), Gold Coast (home), Port Adelaide (home), Hawthorn (home), West Coast (away), Collingwood (home) and North Melbourne (away) – before finals start in the first week of September.
Rachele is one of the team’s X-factors, having booted 25 goals from 13 matches this season.
Luke Pedlar, who recorded 24 disposals, six inside 50s, four clearances and a goal in the Crows’ 100-point SANFL win on Sunday, loomed as a potential Rachele replacement.
Brayden Cook booted four majors from 15 touches to push his case.
Sunday’s substitute Lachie Murphy would also be in the frame to come into the 23.
Power assistant Tyson Goldsack said Powell-Pepper, who hurt his knee in Saturday night’s loss in Brisbane, was initially really emotional before it started to sink in.
“It’s heartbreaking considering the work he put in to come back and then considering how he was playing as well,” said Goldsack, who suffered his own ACL injury in 2018.
“He’s going to have some struggles over the next 12 months.
“The hardest time is when you have to work back through the process to get back and fit again.
“He knows about it because it’s still pretty fresh and he’s got a young family who I’m sure will keep him pretty busy.
“A loss to Brisbane was bad enough but then to have the three injuries, it was a pretty dark weekend.”
WORST-CASE SCENARIO CONFIRMED FOR POWER WITH TRIPLE BLOW
Port Adelaide’s injury carnage from Saturday night has led to three players being ruled out for the season.
Forward Sam Powell-Pepper (knee) will be sidelined into next year after a second ruptured anterior crucial ligament in as many seasons, while scans confirmed bad news for defender Esava Ratugolea (hamstring) and ruckman Dante Visentini (ankle).
Port Adelaide medical boss Tim O’Leary said the injury to Powell-Pepper, who was out for most of last season with the same injury to his other knee, was particularly disappointing.
“Sam is so courageous and hard-working, and was incredibly diligent with his previous knee rehab,” O’Leary said.
“There is no doubt he will approach this rehab with his usual high level of commitment, attacking it in the same way he attacks the footy.”
Visentini will undergo surgery this week, while Ratugolea’s treatment plan will be determined in coming days.
“It’s really unfortunate to lose Esava and Dante at this point in the year,” O’Leary said.
“The silver lining is that there will be no impact on their pre-seasons, which gives them the best chance to prepare for 2026.”
Originally published as How Crows, Power cover injury crisis after Josh Rachele, Sam Powell-Pepper injury
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