AFL 2024: All the latest Adelaide Crows news ahead of Round 13 clash with Richmond

Adelaide have not had much to celebrate of late, but some good news has landed surrounding two of their veterans, as a young star’s role in the team comes into the spotlight.

Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson has not been listed on the Crows’ injury list ahead of their must-win Thursday night clash against Richmond.

Dawson passed a very late fitness test to take on Hawthorn on Saturday, in which the Crows produced their most disappointing performance of the season, after struggling with a foot issue last week.

While he looked to be hampered by the foot injury, Dawson was not listed on the Crows’ injury report released on Tuesday.

It was a boost for the Crows with midfielder Matt Crouch out for the season after suffering a shoulder injury, while talisman Taylor Walker will test his back at training on Wednesday.

“Tex’s back seized up during the game (against Hawthorn) and he was unable to continue so we subbed him out which was ultimately a good decision,” High Performance Manager Darren Burgess said.

Dawson almost missed the clash with the Hawks. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

“He’s come up reasonably well and will need to get through training tomorrow in order to put his hand up for selection, but things are looking pretty good.

“It was a very similar issue to last time and he’s been doing really well to manage that, and hopefully he’s able to train tomorrow and play.”

Three-time Club Champion Rory Laird said Walker was recovering better than expected.

“I think any five-day break is tough when you have those types of injuries but I think that extra time off during the game has helped and he has had two days of not doing a heap and rehabilitating that,” he said.

“He is actually looking better, he first thought he was in a bit of strife but he is responding well and we will go from there.”

With Crouch out for the rest of the season, Laird could be in-line to get more time in the midfield after 32 per cent centre bounce attendances against the Hawks - his lowest of the season so far.

“I think Matty and I have similar traits in our game,” he said.

“I have played a bit more all over the shop this year but I played more of that (midfield) role last year.

“But not only me, Jake Soligo has stepped up a few bit, Sam Berry has played a few games and Jordan Dawson as well.

“But in saying that I think the different role has worked for me... I’m happy to pinch in and pinch out (of the midfield).”

Eyes will be on Josh Rachele’s role against the Tigers after his comments on his paid TV spot with Channel 9 that he wasn’t sure why he had such little midfield time against the Hawks.

Laird said it was a “learning curve” for young players such as Rachele.

Rachele has had a quiet start to the season. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

“I think it is a learning curve for these guys... it is all new to them and they are still learning,” he said.

“I know the coaches are all over that in terms of the clarity in their roles, there is a lot of connectivity in terms of our roles.

“I know Rash speaks to Taylor Walker a lot, they play in the same line.

“So at times it is you need to do this better, but at other times there are times when you put your arms around each other and say hey this is what we expect, this is what you are doing well and this is what you aren’t doing.”

Billy Dowling will make his debut for the Crows against Richmond, while more changes are expected after the disappointing loss to the Hawks.

The nature of the loss to the Hawks, especially the first quarter, has Crows fans raging on social media with Adelaide’s finals chances - while still technically alive - all but over.

Laird said the Crows didn’t have the right mindset.

“It was just a terrible mindset we were in and they punched us in the face and we weren’t ready for it,” he said.

“It is not a thing that we go out and go “oh we aren’t going to try today”... it is too even of a competition and Hawthorn were too good and we couldn’t get the momentum back.

“It is a hard thing to be absolutely on edge all the time but you can’t let those teams have 10 to 15 per cent on you.

“It is too hard at AFL level (if you do that) and what was disappointing was the week before we did it against West Coast.”

CROWS TAKE ANOTHER HIT WITH STAR RULED OUT FOR THE SEASON

Adelaide’s woes have been further compounded with midfielder Matt Crouch to have season-ending shoulder injury.

The Crows went down to Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday in one of their most disappointing performances of the season that all but spells the end of their finals hopes.

Adelaide will now be without Crouch after scans revealed he suffered a right AC joint injury in the first quarter.

Adelaide midfielder Matt Crouch will miss the rest of the season. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Crows high performance manager Darren Burgess said Crouch would have the surgery this week.

“It’s really disappointing for Matt who has been playing some great footy this year,” he said.

“Unfortunately, the severity of the injury requires surgery and he will miss the rest of the season.

“But the timing of it means he will begin his rehabilitation straight away and be ready for the start of pre-season.”

The Crows take on Richmond at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night and it might not only be Crouch missing.

Talisman forward Taylor Walker is unlikely after his back seized up and he was subbed out of the loss to the Hawks, while there has to be some doubt around captain Jordan Dawson, who was clearly hampered by a foot issue, despite passing a late fitness test on Saturday.

Crows assistant coach Jack Hombsch said the club would know more about Walker as his back settled while Dawson was another Adelaide was waiting on.

“We will know a bit more in the coming days,” he said.

“He is hopefully recuperating so we will probably know a bit more in the coming days.

“There are a few sore guys that we will have to wait on … he (Dawson) is another one that we have to wait on.

“He had a bit of a sore foot going into the game, tomorrow and Wednesday will give us a good indication of where he’s at.”

Hombsch said the Crows were bitterly disappointed at not turning up in the first half against the Hawks.

“We are disappointed by it,” he said.

“To Hawthorn’s credit they really put us under a lot of pressure and we weren’t able to get our game going consistently and we left it too late to start challenging.

“They were very strong on the day but bitterly disappointing for us.”

Hombsch said the Crows were confident of a reaction against Richmond.

“We still have a lot of faith in our group,” he said.

“We were playing some really strong footy that we were proud of in the month and a bit before the weekend, so we know we can turn it around.

“We need to get the game on our terms early and we have a chance to do that on Thursday night.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: All the latest Adelaide Crows news ahead of Round 13 clash with Richmond