Star Adelaide defender Josh Worrell is still expected to play in their AFL clash with Gold Coast despite allegedly being in a car accident that involved a pedestrian.
Worrell was reportedly left shaken up by the incident, which occurred as he made his way to training on Friday.
The 25-year-old was given permission to skip the session, but is still expected to line up against the Suns at Adelaide Oval on Saturday.
‘The Adelaide Football Club can confirm one of its players was in a vehicle accident involving a pedestrian this morning,’ the Crows said in a statement on Friday evening.
‘The matter has been reported to South Australia Police and at this stage, the club is not in a position to provide any further comment.’
SA Police have issued a statement that said the incident, that occurred close to Adelaide’s training base, was being investigated.
Adelaide Crows defender Josh Worrell was involved in a car accident with a pedestrian on his way to training
The Crows star was uninjured and is expected to play against the Gold Coast Suns
‘Police can confirm they are investigating a collision involving a car and pedestrian on Port Road, Woodville this morning,’ the statement reads.
‘Both parties attended police stations this afternoon to report the collision.
‘Police did not attend the scene and are investigating.
‘Due to privacy principles, police will not be providing any further details.’
Worrell has played 70 games since making his debut in 2021, averaging a career-high 23.3 possessions per game this season.
The Suns travel to Adelaide to play the Crows on Saturday night having fallen to 14th on the ladder.
Hardwick has been rapt with the upbeat off-field nature of his players amid the form slump, but says the likes of Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell need more on-field support.
‘Sometimes a measure of a player, and this is what Matt is, he makes those around him better,’ Hardwick said ahead of the trip to face the fifth-placed Crows.
Coach Damien Hardwick has been impressed with his players’ attitudes despite a recent form slump ahead of their clash with the Crows
‘What we’re looking for is that next tier of players to step up and take a little bit of a load because we know he’s taken a great deal of load for the Gold Coast Suns for a long period of time.
‘We need that next tier of player to step up and make the game a little bit more of our own, that is part of our growth as a footy club.’
Amid the six-game losing stretch, Hardwick praised the tough conversations among the club’s senior core.
‘What I have seen from our leadership this year has just been incredible with the way they have had those conversations,’ he said.
‘It’s a real big part of an emerging team’s growth for those things to happen.
‘Your organisation is really defined by bumps in the road. And what I have been proud of, is our leaders have stood up, accepted responsibility, but more importantly, challenged each other.’
Adelaide, two premiership points shy of third but only four ahead of eighth spot, summoned Riley Thilthorpe from illness and in-form halfback Wayne Milera after a three-game absence due to a hamstring strain.
The Crows dropped Billy Dowling and rested mid-season draftee Hugo Hall-Kahan.
