ADELAIDE star Rory Sloane could be given up to the day of the game to prove his fitness for Friday night's top-of-the-table clash with Geelong at Adelaide Oval.
Sloane was heavily concussed during the Crows' 46-point win over Melbourne at TIO Stadium last Saturday night.
Crows assistant coach James Podsiadly said Sloane – the 2016 All Australian vice-captain – will be monitored this week and could be tested as late as Friday morning.
"He'll do the concussion testing today, Wednesday and Thursday and potentially the day of the game," Podsiadly told reporters on Monday.
"He'll go through the standard protocol through the week.
"When you get concussed, there's always doubt, whether it's an eight-day break or 10-day break.
"Our medical staff are pretty good at going through the protocol.
"If he gets through that, we'll play him."
In-demand key defender Jake Lever is also in doubt after finishing the game on the bench with a tight hamstring.
Lever will have a scan on Monday to determine the extent of the damage.
Podsiadly said it was the same hamstring that forced Lever to miss some games earlier in the season.
"He experienced some tightness in that hammy that he's had some issues with in the past," he said.
"From a coaching and fitness staff perspective, it was more a precautionary thing.
"We'll see how he pulls up in the next couple of days."
The Crows will have a light week on the track to deal with the six-day break and the sweltering Top End conditions.
"The heat will mean we're doing a little bit extra recovery," Podsiadly said.
"The number one thing when it comes to recovery is sleep.
"We're really big on educating our players on getting an extra nap in during the day or an extra sleep session on their day off."
The Crows are aiming for their first win over Geelong since round 17, 2013.
The Cats have won the past five meetings between the two sides, including a 22-point victory when they met in round 11 this year at Simonds Stadium.
Podsiadly believes recent history won't count for anything.
"I think we're playing a little bit differently to last time we played them, and so are they," he said.
"We're playing another side that is pretty hungry to be playing in finals and winning finals and so are we.
"It's a great learning opportunity whatever the result will be."
