Adelaide captain Rory Sloane will miss at least the next month of AFL matches because of a broken thumb.
Sloane will have surgery on a fracture at the base of his left thumb after being injured during the winless Crows’ latest loss at the weekend.
Sloane will consult a specialist before having surgery in coming days, Adelaide’s head of medicine Steve Saunders says.
The injury is the latest blow for the Crows, who are anchored at the bottom of the AFL ladder with six consecutive losses.
Former skipper Taylor Walker (shoulder) and key forward Darcy Fogarty (shoulder) are unlikely to return for Adelaide’s next fixture, a home game against St Kilda next Monday night.
Winger Rory Atkins (shoulder) is also expected to miss at least another week, utlity Wayne Milera (broken foot) is at least a month away from resuming while midfielder Jordan Gallucci has been ruled out for the season because of a ruptured Achilles tendon.