Why Riley Thilthorpe’s knee injury has come at the worst time for the young gun and for Adelaide

Adelaide is waiting to find out the extent of Riley Thilthorpe’s meniscus injury suffered against West Coast. Here’s what it could mean for the Crows and who needs to step up.

Riley Thilthorpe of the Crows kicks during the 2024 AFL Community Series match between Adelaide Crows and West Coast Eagles at Hisense Stadium on March 02, 2024 in Adelaide, Australia. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

Whether it has been players, coaches or even Matthew Nicks at the Adelaide season launch last week, there has been one consistent message coming out of the Crows ahead of the 2024 campaign.

This could be the year where Riley Thilthorpe really arrives.

The Crows highest ever draft pick has shown he has the talent at AFL level, think his five-goal display on debut against Hawthorn in Tassie in 2021 and his bag against Port Adelaide in Round 3 last year.

The consistency has yet to come.

But there was optimism that 2024 was going to be the year when things click for Thilthorpe at AFL level.

An off-season where the focus was on strength rather than fitness, Thilthorpe’s running ability for a 202cm big man has been his strength, has had the 21-year-old as arguably the most impressive Crow in pre-season.

He dominated the Crows internal trial and then was imposing against the Power in match simulation.

His strong pre-season was continuing before he hobbled off with a left knee injury against West Coast, with 13 disposals and six marks - but he couldn’t finish off his work in front of goal with 0.2 for the day.

Thilthorpe in action against the Eagles. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

It’s why the Crows will be hoping that the damage to Thilthorpe’s left meniscus is not serious, as a specialist meeting on Monday will determine the extent of this and just how long he is out on the sidelines for.

Already ruled out for Round 1 against Gold Coast the best case scenario for Thilthorpe looks to be two to three weeks on the sidelines.

Surgery could mean up to six weeks and with the Crows’ start to the season, the Suns on the Gold Coast, Geelong at home, Fremantle in Perth, Melbourne in Gather Round, Carlton at Marvel and Essendon at Adelaide Oval, losing Thilthorpe would be a big blow.

While two goals, 14 disposals and eight marks indicates that Taylor Walker isn’t slowing down anytime soon he will turn 34 next month.

There has been an acknowledgment that for the Crows to go to the next level, it is going to be up to Thilthorpe and Darcy Fogarty to step up and ease the burden on Walker after his 76-goal season in 2023.

Thilthorpe impressed against the Power. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

Thilthorpe missing Round 1 will all but result in new recruit Chris Burgess making his debut for the Crows against his former side with Elliott Himmelberg now playing as a defender, although Lachlan Gollant has had his moments in the AFL side.

Burgess has performed well in the VFL as a key forward, winning the last two Jim ‘Frosty’ Miller Medals for leading goalkicker, and he has been used as a ruck at times for the Crows during their internal trial and hitout against the Power.

But the 28-year-old has only played three AFL games in the last two years.

So if the specialists do come back with the bad news and Thilthorpe is going to miss some time, then all of a sudden all eyes are on Fogarty.

The new member of the Crows leadership group was quiet against the Eagles on Saturday with just the 10 disposals in a scoreless display.

There has been a hope that Fogarty’s elevation to becoming a leader of the Crows will take his game to another level.

If Thilthorpe is to spend an extended time on the sidelines then this hope will become a need for the Crows.

Originally published as Why Riley Thilthorpe’s knee injury has come at the worst time for the young gun and for Adelaide