Adelaide coach Neil Craig has admitted the rehabilitation of captain Simon Goodwin from an unusual Achilles' injury and Andrew McLeod's recovery post knee surgery has been slower than expected, heightening speculation that both players have already played their last game for the Crows.
With Simon Goodwin already announcing he will retire at the end of the year, it has also been tipped that Andrew McLeod will also finish up at season's end despite no such decision being made yet.
McLeod featured Adelaide's stirring win against Geelong a fortnight ago, which was his first game for a month after undergoing knee surgery at the end of Round 11, but was forced to miss the Showdown after his knee flared up.
Goodwin also missed the local derby when he was ruled out at the eleventh hour and Craig conceded he couldn't put a time frame on either of the Crows' most senior players.
"Goodwin and McLeod: there's not much clarity, they've both been a bit slow," he said.
"Simon is slowly improving, as is Andrew. You'll just need to ask week to week on that one, I can't sort of give you 'one or two week's time' because I don't know."
"Hopefully they'll both be able to play again this year, I really do hope that. I don't know if (that is doubtful). It could be that Goodwin trains next week that's the nature of the injury."
"We just have to wait for Andrew's knee to settle. He did everything right, he did all the training in the lead up to the game but you cannot expose the players to game type... you can get it (training) to the intensity of it (game) but it's the involuntary movements that you can't reproduce."
"So, fingers crossed that those players will be available sooner rather than later."
Graham Johncock will also be absent from Adelaide's line-up this week after copping a one-match suspension for a high bump on the Power's Cameron Hitchcock as the Crows' prepare to take on Richmond on Sunday at the MCG.
Craig has acknowledged the loss of Johncock is a huge blow with the pacey defender among Adelaide's best and most consistent performers this season.
Coupled with the loss of McLeod and Goodwin, the Adelaide coach agrees trio are usually the Crows' best weapons in turning defence into attack.
"Certainly Johncock, McLeod and Goodwin, one of their great attributes is to come through those lines and be very aggressive in what they do," he said.
"I'm not suggesting we can replace those three overnight but we need to make sure whoever comes into the mix in defence that's part of their role as well. Not just a defensive action, but some offensive competition."
Tony Armstrong has been left out of the 22 but will travel with the squad while Chris Schmidt gets a call up for the first time since Round 10.
Jack Gunston has also been brought in and will play his only his second game while there was no room for Round 16 Rising Star nominee, Phil Davis, who misses out for the second week in a row.
Craig stated he was unwilling to change his defensive structure and play four talls, opting to keep Nathan Bock, Ben Rutten and Scott Stevens.
The Adelaide coach also hinted Davis' future may be at the other end of the ground.
"I'm still keen to keep a similar structure down back," he said.
"To bring Phil in would change that structure significantly for us. It would take some flexibility away from us and we can't afford to do that."
"Phil will continue to play in the SANFL and continue to put pressure on Bock, Stevens and Rutten in defence. I'm not against playing Phil Davis forward at some stage because I think he will end up being a very good forward for us. I am keen at some stage, whether it's this year or next year to see Phil Davis up forward."