SUSPENDED Adelaide forward Izak Rankine has been ruled out of all pre-season fixtures in another early injury blow for the Crows.
Rankine underwent scans after pulling up sore during training on Wednesday, which revealed a low-grade strain.
“Thankfully Izak’s strain is only minor, but we won’t risk playing him in our upcoming pre-season matches,” Crows high performance boss Ian McKeown said.
Rankine remains suspended for Adelaide’s season opener against Collingwood on March 14, having served three games of his four-match ban for using a homophobic slur during a game.
His hamstring ailment is the latest in a series of early injuries for the Crows, with influential defender Mark Keane and emerging star Dan Curtin both sidelined with long-term injuries.
Keane will miss up to four months because of a broken leg while Curtin, who dislocated a kneecap in a training mishap in late January, will be out until at least round seven.
Adelaide’s prized recruit Callum Ah Chee will also miss the club’s pre-season matches after straining a hamstring while playing for Western Australia in last Saturday’s State of Origin loss to Victoria.
Defender Mitch Hinge (back), winger Isaac Cumming (hamstring) and second-year midfielder Sid Draper (groin) have also been ruled out of the Crows’ practice match against Port Adelaide on Friday.
The Crows travel to Perth for another pre-season game against Fremantle on February 28 ahead of the premiership season.
