THE PLAYING future of Adelaide defender Sam Shaw is up in the air after he was ruled out of the rest of the season with concussion symptoms.

The 25-year-old has been placed on the Crows' long-term injury list.

Shaw was sidelined for four months after suffering a concussion in a SANFL game in April.

He played strongly in his comeback match against Port Adelaide at Alberton Oval three weeks ago, but was a late scratching from the game with Norwood last Saturday.

Crows coach Don Pyke said Shaw's health was the club's immediate priority.

"I don't know (when he'll play again) at this stage, it's more about … our real interest is in Sam's health," Pyke told reporters on Friday.

"That's the priority for us at the moment, to get him feeling like a healthy, young man.

"With the concussion and the symptoms he's suffering, which sort of manifests itself and a bit of fatigue, it's important we look after his interests.

"We'll look after the football side of things after that."

Shaw also had a concussion last season in the SANFL.

The athletic defender has another year to run on his contract, and has only played 24 AFL games since being taken with the 45th pick in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft.

"We took a decision in consultation with the doctors and the specialists, Sam wasn't able to get back to the levels both in energy and how he was feeling and therefore it was deemed unlikely he was going to play again this year," Pyke said.

"The decision was we'd spell him for the rest of the year to get his health back to where it needs to be.

"With that came an opportunity to put him on the long-term injury list and elevate Jono Beech, which is great for him.

"He's in the 25 and he's in the mix."