Kurt Tippett to play a part in shot at September glory

ADELAIDE coach Brenton Sanderson has declared Kurt Tippett is "shrugging off the doomsdayers" to play a major role in this year's finals campaign.

ADELAIDE coach Brenton Sanderson has declared Kurt Tippett is "shrugging off the doomsdayers" to play a major role in this year's finals campaign.

Despite a leading neurosurgeon suggesting Tippett should consider ending his season after three concussions in five weeks, Sanderson says his star forward could return for the Crows' clash with Essendon on Sunday week.

And he's adamant Tippett's latest head knock won't have a negative effect on the club's ongoing contract talks with the giant Queenslander.

"We remain really positive," said Sanderson after ruling Tippett out for Saturday's match against Geelong at Simonds Stadium.

"That's what Kurt's doing and that's what we're doing. I'm sure we're going to see him back really soon and hopefully that's next week (against Essendon).

"There is a lot of hysteria around at the moment and a lot of people who want to put their two-bobs' worth in - as we assumed that they would - and I know we keep calling people externally until we get really bad news but he's fine, he's recovering really well."

Tippett, who tweeted yesterday morning that he was "off to training and feeling good this morning", completed some light running behind closed gates at AAMI Stadium yesterday.

He will visit a neurosurgeon in Melbourne today but Sanderson is confident he will be in the mix to face the Bombers on August 5.

"We're going to send him home for a couple of days over the weekend but we expect him to resume training next Monday if the tests get through OK," Sanderson said.

"Kurt's recovering really well, he's a bit surprised with how everyone is talking about it but I know it feels like a really big story because there is a bit of greyness with how it's going to go.

"We'll just take our time and we won't rush the player.

"In consultation with the experts, we'll make the correct decision for him.

"The AFL concussion testing which he does as part of the protocol has been fine, now we just want to make sure from Kurt's point of view we make the correct decision player-welfare wise."

Sanderson's confidence in Tippett's long-term health stems from the three incidents - in rounds 13, 15 and 17 - being judged as "unlucky".

"If you go back and watch them, they are the wrong place, wrong time," Sanderson said.

"They are just unlucky. It's not anything he's doing wrong. (West Coast defender) Beau Waters just crashed into his head and the other one was in a marking contest when it just hit him in the jaw.

"It's just one of those things where I'm sure he's going to be back playing for us really soon."

The news wasn't as positive for Crows defender Andy Otten, who will miss about six weeks with a medial cartilage tear in his left knee.

Otten hurt his knee in a marking contest in Saturday's clash with West Coast but Sanderson insists he could still play a role in September.

"It was a bit out of left field for us, we weren't prepared for that," Sanderson said. "He had an operation on it this (yesterday) morning so hopefully he will be back soon."

Sanderson said Sam Shaw and Luke Thompson would be considered as Otten's replacement to tackle the Cats.