ADELAIDE faces the daunting prospect of reinventing its forward line without the club's two leading goalkickers from last season if Taylor Walker's worst fears are realised on Monday.
Walker will have scans on his right knee on Monday after he landed awkwardly in a marking contest during the first quarter of Saturday night's loss to Carlton.
Coach Brenton Sanderson refused to speculate on Sunday morning about the extent of the injury, with anterior cruciate ligament damage the worst-case scenario.
"I've seen him this morning and he had a bit of a sleepless night, I guess he's very concerned, as we all are," Sanderson said on Channel Nine's The Sunday Footy Show.
"He's going to have scans tomorrow and it'll become a little bit clearer after that.
"It would be foolish of me to speculate on what the extent of the injury might be, but we've all got our fingers crossed it's not going to be an ACL.
"I've had a chat with out doctor this morning and he doesn't want to call it obviously.
"I'm hoping he's going to be available next week, but I don't think that's the case."
Walker led the Crows with 69 goals last season, while tall forward Kurt Tippett, who is now with the Sydney Swans, booted 39.
With Walker sidelined for most of Saturday night's 32-point loss, Sanderson moved Andy Otten and Mathew Jaensch forward with the pair combining for six goals.
He said he would continue searching for the right forward mix if Walker is ruled out for the season.
"We've just got to reinvent our forward line," he said.
"We've got some talent outside our team at the moment; (Jason) Porplyzia didn't play on the weekend, Shaun McKernan, Lewis Johnston, we have got some depth there.
"But without Walker and Tippett, who were our twin towers down there in attack last year, we've just got to reinvent that forward 50."
Sanderson said the Crows' issues on Saturday night were in the midfield where they "got smashed around the contest".
Carlton won the contested possessions 161-120 and the clearances 37-26, with the Adelaide forwards starved of opportunities.
"We just lacked any method taking the ball forward after we lost Tex," Sanderson said.
"We haven't got any injuries in there … there's still what I would consider an A-grade midfield.
"We probably need a bit more from our ruck, Sam Jacobs has got away to a slow start this year and we might have to look at bringing in some more help for him.
"We're certainly not getting the punch out of there we got last year."
Nathan Schmook is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Nathan
