ADELAIDE coach Neil Craig admits time is running out for injured veterans Simon Goodwin and Andrew McLeod to play again this season.

McLeod hasn't played since experiencing swelling in his troublesome knee during the game against Geelong in round 16, while Goodwin has missed the last three weeks with an ankle injury.

Goodwin has already announced that he'll retire at the end of the season and McLeod is expected to follow suit.

Craig refused to put a line through either player, but said they wouldn't be wheeled out for the sake of a farewell game if they weren't fit.

"Andrew ran again today on the treadmill and ran pretty well. Hopefully we can push on with him next week and that he doesn't regress," Craig said on Friday.

"Simon will start to do some physical work next week and hopefully there won't be any negative aspects to that as well … but they're still a way from playing and every game they miss is going to make it more and more difficult.

"One of the reasons they have been such fantastic players is because they have great pride in their performance. I'll guarantee you what they won't do is put themselves out there if they can't actually take the game on.

"Simon Goodwin's not interested in standing in a forward pocket with a moon boot on for a farewell game. That doesn't interest him one little bit and I know Andrew is of the same thinking."

The retirement of Goodwin and Tyson Edwards, as well as the likely departure of McLeod, will leave a significant hole in Adelaide's available midfield rotations.

The Crows have recruited an army of mid-sized utilities over the past two years, including first-round draft picks Phil Davis and Daniel Talia, and Craig said the club would now turn its attention to bolstering the midfield, with a particular focus on 'outside' players.

"We're looking to increase the number of midfielders we've got this year in the draft, or in trade week if there’'s an appropriate trading situation that occurs," Craig said.

"In the last two years we've concentrated on players like Shaun McKernan and Phil Davis -players with that sort of height. Even guys we haven't seen this year like Sam Shaw and Jack Gunston, who we've seen a little bit of.

"They're all taller-type utilities. I think we now need to start looking at our midfield again, so that'll be the main area we look at."