The Crows' injury count hit double figures before the season had even begun this year, with stars Graham Johncock, Bernie Vince, Jason Porplyzia, Chris Knights, Andy Otten and Nathan van Berlo among the walking wounded.
Adelaide's post-season review concluded that some injuries were unavoidable, like Otten's battered knee, but that others like Porplyzia's groin/back might have been triggered by the pre-season program or by fitness staff trying to bring players back too quickly.
On Tuesday, the Crows players took to Max Basheer Reserve with Sherrins in hand and football manager Phil Harper said football sessions would be used to break up hard blocks of fitness and conditioning work.
"Our last couple of years haven't been good with injuries," ," he said on Tuesday.
"It really cost us a whole year this year if we're really honest about it and I think our members and supporters would be pretty disappointed if we just said, 'We're just going to roll out, do the same thing again and break everyone down'.
"We've brought some outside experts in and their suggestion was that in this early part of pre-season you need to build up a strength and conditioning base and then do some ball work, which we did for the first time today.
"The plan is that the players will be going at their peak at the end of January when we want them to [be peaking]. It's working okay so far and let's hope we don't have 20 players on the injury list come round one next year."
Coach Neil Craig, who is on a fact-finding trip of Europe and the United States, was a notable absentee at training.
Craig has already toured the headquarters of the NBA's San Antonio Spurs and is on his way to Europe to visit several of the powerhouse soccer clubs.
The timing of the trip means Craig will not be on Adelaide's table at Thursday night's NAB AFL Draft on the Gold Coast.
The Crows only have two selections (14 and 61 overall) in this year's draft, having traded away several picks to secure Richmond onballer Richard Tambling and Carlton ruckman Sam Jacobs.
The club has filled three spots by promoting rookies, Ricky Henderson, Matthew Jaensch and Luke Thompson to the senior list.
Adelaide has been linked to Geelong Falcons defender/forward Billie Smedts, local midfielder Brodie Smith and Sandringham Dragons ball magnet Ben Jacobs with pick No.14.
Central District premiership player Ian Callinan has taken up an invitation to train with the Crows in the lead up to the draft period, but Harper said the classy midfielder/forward was unlikely to hear his name called on Thursday night.
"We don't think we'd take Ian in this draft … we're looking more at him as a mature-age rookie because he covers a need [as a crumbing forward] for us," he said.
"We're quite excited about Ian and what he could bring to us if we can get him through to the rookie draft."
