CROWS coach Neil Craig says he’ll be faced with a tough decision when deciding the playing future of injured veteran Brett Burton.

Burton will undergo a full knee reconstruction on Wednesday night after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee against Collingwood on Saturday.

Adelaide has a strict policy on its players over 30 with captain Simon Goodwin, Andrew McLeod, Tyson Edwards, Nathan Bassett and Burton all poised to see out their careers with a series of one-year contracts.

Burton, who will turn 31 before his rehabilitation is complete, is out of contract at season’s end and Craig said the high-flying forward’s future was undecided.

"It’s going to need a lot of discussion," he said. "Brett’s out of contract and he’s 30 years of age, but we all know the way he’s been playing for us this year and that would indicate that, without injury, he would’ve continued to play [on next year].

"There needs to be a lot of discussion about it (Burton’s future) in our list management committee. I’ve started discussions with Brett about how he sees it, so there will be a lot of parties engaged in that process so we can make a really good decision."

The decision is further complicated by Adelaide having Trent Hentschel and Rhett Biglands in recovery from serious knee injuries and the notion that this year’s draft will be the strongest in several years.

"The decision [on Brett] is about our list and it’s about keeping really high quality players at our club," Craig said.

"There is some talk that if you’re going to be aggressive at a draft, this in the one to do it at. There is also an element of compassion about the whole thing and your playing group and Brett’s one of our senior leaders.

"I haven’t got an answer for you, but there will be a lot of discussion about it over probably the next seven days."

The Crows have made some difficult decisions on its senior players in recent years with club stalwart Ben Hart, Jason Torney, Matthew Bode and Matthew Clarke all delisted during Craig’s reign.

"Benny Hart’s decision was not an easy one for myself," Craig said. "Jason Torney finished top 10 in our best and fairest and I made that decision [to let him go]. Matthew Clarke was another one and they are always tough decisions to make.

"They are long-serving players, highly decorated players and it won’t get any easier over the next two or three years with Simon Goodwin, Andrew McLeod, Nathan Bassett and Tyson Edwards [coming to the end of their careers].

"That’s why it’s really important to have a lot of discussion with everyone, particularly the players, and we face another tough decision with Brett."