Star Adelaide forward Taylor Walker needs a knee reconstruction and will miss the rest of the AFL season.
In a body blow to Adelaide’s ambitions, Walker was told on Monday he won’t play again for 12 months.
Scans showed Walker ripped the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during Saturday’s loss to Carlton.
Walker, emerging as a game-breaker, will opt for traditional surgery to fix his knee rather than the LARS operation.
Adelaide’s general manager of football administration Phil Harper said the club was devastated at Walker’s injury, which also included lateral damage in the knee.
“But we know how professional he has become in his treatment of injuries,” Harper said in a statement.
Walker will have surgery by next week, his injury creating major problems for the Crows, who are struggling with two wins and three losses.
Adelaide, who are yet to adequately fill the forward line hole left by Kurt Tippett’s acrimonious split to Sydney, now must try and cover for Walker’s absence as well.
Veteran backman Ben Rutten said many players will need to lift and help lessen the impact of Walker’s absence.
“It’s not going to be one guy that is going to be able to replace Tex (Walker). We’ll need more contributors scoring goals,” Rutten told reporters on Monday.
“That is the way we are going to have to approach it.
“We are just going to have to re-jig and find ways to score goals.”
Rutten will play his 200th AFL match against Hawthorn on Saturday as the Crows seek some consistency without their prime attacking weapon.
“It has been a common theme throughout the pre-season and the five games this year. It has been up one week and down the next,” Rutten said.
“We’re still trying to get that consistency of 22 performers each week.”