'BS s—t wrestling drills': Cornes slams Crows as young star suffers serious knee injury in training mishap
Adelaide young gun Dan Curtin is facing a delayed start to the 2026 season, after suffering a suspected dislocated kneecap in a training incident.
Curtin was stretchered from the ground at the Crows’ West Lakes facility after sustaining the injury in a wrestling drill on Monday, with club doctors wrenching his kneecap back into place.
According to reports, the 20-year old’s anterior cruciate ligament remains intact, meaning while he is expected to be sidelined for at least 6-8 weeks, his season remains alive.
Curtin is the latest in a spate of injuries sustained by players in the early stages of the pre-season, with North Melbourne youngster Jackson Archer and Carlton goalsneak Jesse Motlop both suffering season-ending knee injuries only last week, while Hawthorn’s Will Day also went down with a shoulder injury.
Having been critical of the extended time away from the game afforded to modern players, arguing it leaves them vulnerable to injuries during pre-season, Kane Cornes has hit out on social media in response to Curtin’s blow, slamming the wrestling drill that caused it.
“Always hated these BS s–t wrestling drills that most clubs do during pre-season,” he wrote.
“Risk v reward is never worth it. Look at Matthew Nicks face, safe to say there’ll be no more jujitsu @Adelaide_FC for the rest of the year.”
After being taken with pick 8 in the 2023 draft, Curtin enjoyed a breakout 2025 season on a wing, with the versatile tall playing every game and finishing runner-up in the Rising Star Award as the Crows rose from the bottom four in 2024 to claim the minor premiership.
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