Adelaide captain Nathan van Berlo is running out of time to play an AFL game this year.
Van Berlo snapped an Achilles tendon in a freak pre-season mishap, when a sled, carrying weights, crashed into him.
His fate will be determined by his teammates: if ninth-placed Adelaide look like missing the finals, Adelaide will write off their captain's season.
"He is running out of time. What is there, six games to go," Crows coach Brenton Sanderson said after Adelaide's 12-point loss to Hawthorn on Friday night.
"A lot will depend on how aggressively we push him on our next few results.
"If September looks unlikely, we'll probably back him off.
"He is tracking like he might be ready with a couple of weeks to go in the season. But with our captain, we won't make a poor decision."
Adelaide's defeat to Hawthorn was compounded by a hamstring concern over key midfielder Scott Thompson, who suffered back-related spasms and was substituted.
And dynamic forward Josh Jenkins, who kicked five goals, will have scans on an ankle injury.
The Crows have a bye next weekend and Sanderson hoped winger David McKay (hamstring), Sam Kerridge (foot) and Charlie Cameron (groin) would be available for Adelaide's July 27 away game against Collingwood.
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