ADELAIDE is breathing a sigh of relief after star forward Darcy Fogarty avoided a major shoulder injury.

Fogarty had been forced out of the Crows' eventual 18-point win over Greater Western Sydney after a bump from Giants defender Harry Himmelberg.

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He had returned to the game before the left shoulder complaint proved too much and he finished with only eight touches.

Scans later confirmed Fogarty has sprained his sternoclavicular joint, the ligaments where the collarbone meets the sternum.

Fogarty has led the fifth-placed Crows in attack so far this season, on 16 goals with Riley Thilthorpe.

The key forward has not yet been ruled out of Friday's clash against Fremantle.

"We will need to let it settle for a couple of days so he will be on light duties, but in short there is no major structural damage which is pleasing," Adelaide high performance boss Darren Burgess said in a club statement.

"It’s too early to rule him out of the trip to Perth, but his availability will obviously depend on how he responds during the week."