Young midfielder Brad Crouch will require further assessment after experiencing more soreness in his foot in the opening quarter of Adelaide’s SANFL Showdown.
Crouch, who fractured his foot in the final round of the NAB Challenge in March, is yet to play an AFL game this season. The 2013 Rising Star runner-up made a successful comeback in the SANFL prior to the bye, but was sidelined last weekend with pain in the same foot.
Scans cleared Crouch of any structural damage and he was cleared to play at Alberton Oval on Sunday. However, the 21-year-old was forced from the field early in the match with soreness in his foot and took no further part. The Club will provide a further update in the next couple of days.
Matt Crouch heard the news about his brother as the Crows landed in Adelaide on Sunday afternoon following their 13-point win over the Brisbane Lions. Matt had his fingers crossed that scans would clear his older sibling of any serious injury.
“I just got off the plane, so I don’t know too much about it yet but it’s not ideal for him. He’ll get scans in the next couple of days and see how it goes,” Matt Crouch said on Sunday afternoon.
“It is frustrating (for him). Injuries in footy in general are very frustrating, but it’s something you’ve got to deal with and be positive about.
“Hopefully, he can get over this and get back to playing footy soon.”
Rory Sloane was also dealt another cruel blow on the weekend, fracturing the same cheekbone he injured against Gold Coast in Round Six. Sloane will require scans to confirm the injury but is expected to miss 4-6 weeks.
“It’s frustrating for Sloaney,” Matt Crouch said.
“He was alright and seemed pretty upbeat and positive, but that’s the way he always is. I’m sure he’s disappointed deep down but he’ll be alright.”
One of Adelaide’s better players in the come-from-behind win over Brisbane, Matt Crouch said it would be up to the Club’s emerging midfielders to help fill the void created by the injury to Sloane.
“Hopefully, we can do that as a group. I’m confident I can play a role and I think other boys can too,” he said.
“We’ve got a lot of depth through the midfield, so hopefully we can continue to do that. There are a lot of boys, like Riley Knight, who are playing good SANFL footy and want to get a chance. When they get that chance, they’ll take it.
“As young players, you want to get out there and play well.”
Matt Crouch has endured his own injury issues in his short AFL career.
Crouch had an interrupted pre-season because of an ankle complaint, but has played the last seven games in Adelaide’s senior team.
“It’s great to be back out there and to get a full game on the weekend was good as well. My body is feeling good, so hopefully I can continue to play my role,” he said.
