AMIDST immense pride for his young side surging over the line against Essendon on Friday night, Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks remains confused around the application of dangerous tackle sanctions.

BOMBERS v CROWS Full match coverage and stats

Midfielder Ben Keays played a blinding game for the Crows, but his performance is sure to be overshadowed by a dangerous tackle laid on Bomber Jye Caldwell in the last quarter. Caldwell underwent concussion testing, ultimately passing his Head Injury Assessment (HIA) but was subbed out of the game due to time constraints.

"From our point of view, it was a tough week where we obviously look at these things and we educate around it. We have a complete understanding of what we're trying to do as a league and we support that as far as protecting and looking after player welfare," Nicks said post-game.

"But it was a confusing week … our job is to educate and big picture, it's about the health of our players which we are 100 percent in support of."

Second-gamer Hugh Bond is also sure to be looked at for a dangerous tackle applied to Nik Cox earlier in the game in which Cox's head hit the deck. The Bomber went on to take his free kick – a set shot on goal – and play out the remainder of the game.

For Essendon coach Brad Scott, he was reluctant to say too much. When asked about an awkward bump from young forward Nate Caddy on Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson – which resulted in Dawson entering concussion protocols and ruled out of next week's match – he was short.

"Who knows?" Scott said.

"Who could tell you at the moment?"

Scott was disappointed with his side's inability to maintain its three-goal lead late in the game, but avoided being alarmed by a recent spate of losses.

"It comes down to execution at the end and the Crows kicked some good goals under pressure. It wasn't a structural issue. Now, we'll do deeper analysis than we've already done, but it was poor execution rather than system or structure," Scott said.

The Crows were plagued by injuries throughout the game, operating with just two rotations on the bench by the last quarter.

Key defender Nick Murray was subbed out of the game in the first quarter with a suspected serious knee injury, and Jordon Butts was ruled out soon after with a foot sprain. Both are injuries the players have suffered in the past.

"We're all trying to think positive thoughts at the moment. He has to have scans on that," Nicks said of Murray, who only returned from an ACL injury in round 14.

"I don't want to say we're confident, but we're going to stay really positive and as you can imagine, he's quite emotional at the moment. But we'll keep just thinking positive thoughts and hopefully that one comes out the right way."

There was a similar sentiment for Butts.

"He sprained his foot and it's one that he's had a few issues with in the past. So, again, similar to (Murray), we're staying positive and hopefully that one comes out the right way as well," Nicks said.

Adelaide must now prepare to face an up-and-about Hawthorn without captain Dawson, and likely without two key defenders in Murray and Butts. More positively, the side will regain former captain Taylor Walker, who was rested for the trip to Melbourne.

"'Tex' will be hopefully freshened up, hopefully he's looked after himself this week and we go into a 10-day break now … he'll come back in, bring that leadership ahead of the ball," Nicks said.