Adelaide stars Riley Thilthorpe and Josh Rachele among several players sick during finals campaign

7NEWS can reveal illness has been sweeping through Adelaide, with several Crows players impacted in last week’s qualifying final loss to Collingwood.

Riley Thilthorpe was one of five or six players battling through nasty symptoms on Thursday night, at one stage even threatening to rule the key forward out of the clash.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Adelaide struck by sickness for qualifying final loss.

Star forward Josh Rachele is another Crow affected — he was kept away from training over the weekend.

It’s less than ideal timing as the star forward tries to prove he’s ready to play his first game in two months. He’ll look to prove he’s good to go in tomorrow’s main session at Adelaide Oval.

Veteran Alex Neal-Bullen was initially on media duties today, but was subbed out due to sickness as well.

He was replaced by defender Rory Laird, who wasn’t much better, admitting he missed the review of the Collingwood defeat over the weekend.

Laird told reporters he hasn’t thought of the doomsday scenario.

If the Crows lose their semi-final to Hawthorn, they’ll be the first VFL/AFL minor premiers to crash out of the finals in straight sets since 1983.

“I haven’t even thought about that, mate, to be honest,” Laird said on Monday.

The Crows are in the precarious position after slipping to a 24-point qualifying final loss to Collingwood last Thursday night.

The Magpies blew Adelaide away with a stunning five-goal stretch in 15 minutes in the third quarter.

“For majority of the time, it was not too bad — it was just that 10 minute period around the contest,” Laird said of Adelaide’s performance.

“Collingwood amped the pressure up and we probably didn’t match it for that period and that’s where they were able to get that momentum.”

The Crows will have to weigh the risk versus reward of recalling Rachele, the brilliant goalsneak who hasn’t played since suffering a left knee injury on July 6.

Laird expected that discussion to be an “extensive, lengthy conversation”.

“He’s tracking really well — glad I’m not match committee, there’s a few decisions to make this week,” he said.

“But he has progressed really well over the last couple of weeks.”

Rachele’s injury and the absence of Izak Rankine, who has served two games of his four-match ban for a homophobic slur, has denied the Crows the availability of their two most dangerous small forwards.

“It’s a strong part of our game that we have had for the majority of the year and it just shows the importance of some players around there that have got that X-factor,” Laird said.

“Obviously Izak not being there and Josh, they’re some pretty classy forwards.”

The Hawks travel to Adelaide buoyed by their stirring away 19-point elimination final victory over GWS.

The clubs have met twice this season with Hawthorn prevailing by three points in Tasmania in Round 15 before the Crows edged to a 14-point win in a tight Round 22 affair in Adelaide.

“We match up well, and they match up well with us,” Laird said.

“The last game was very even and their form has continued to roll and they’ve played some really strong footy.

“I can only imagine what it’s going to be like — very similar to Collingwood with their pressure, and they have got some stars and some X-factor.”

- With AAP