The ladder-leading Adelaide Crows are bracing to lose emerging forward Mitch McGovern for a chunk of the AFL season because of injury.
McGovern damaged his right hamstring in the Crows' 17-point win against Port Adelaide.
The attacker is having scans amid fears he has suffered serious damage to the hamstring tendon.
"He's sore," Adelaide midfielder Richard Douglas told reporters on Monday.
"It looks like has has done a good job on it, so we'll check the scans and see how that plays out."
McGovern's fellow forward Josh Jenkins remains in doubt for undefeated Adelaide's home fixture against Essendon on Saturday night.
Jenkins faces fitness tests later this week after missing the Showdown win because of bruised ribs.
"He will be assessed and tested this week, we're not quite sure where he's at, he hasn't done a lot of work (since the injury) so will have to tick a few boxes," Douglas said.
The injuries open the selection door for ex-Carlton forward Troy Menzel to return to AFL action - he made his debut for the Crows in the season-opener and was then dropped.
"He is obviously really stiff to miss out in round two," Douglas said of Menzel.
"He played really well again yesterday in the SANFL so if he gets his opportunity I'm sure he'll take it, we have real confidence in what he can bring,"
Another candidate to return to AFL ranks is onballer Brad Crouch, who made his comeback from a three-month hamstring injury in the state league on Sunday - and gathered 40 disposals and laid 10 tackles.
"He started the game on the bench and I was watching him, he was like a caged line at about the six minute mark trying to get on the ground," Douglas said.
"It was great for Brad ... it has really been frustrating for him so to play the way he did first-up was really no surprise to us but shows what a quality player he is."
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