ADELAIDE expects key defender Nick Murray to overcome a hamstring injury and press for selection for Saturday's fixture against North Melbourne.

Murray was substituted at half-time of Adelaide's two-point loss to Collingwood on Sunday at the MCG.

The Crows say the backman suffered a corked hamstring, rather than a strain, and could face the Kangaroos.

"It looks like it's a cork, probably a pretty bad one," assistant coach James Rahilly told reporters on Tuesday.

"I don't know if he'll do much training this week."

Murray's potential availability looms as a bonus for the eighth-placed Crows given fellow defender Tom Doedee will miss the rest of the season after having a knee reconstruction.

Adelaide's tall defensive stocks are relatively thin - should Murray miss, Irishman Mark Keane could be in line for a club debut while Luke Nankervis and James Borlase are other options, but both are yet to play an AFL game.

"They have all been in pretty good form, the guys in the SANFL," Rahilly said.

"We have also been pretty strong when we've gone a bit smaller (in defence), when Murray went off and Chayce Jones went back.

"Obviously the Kangaroos have got a few guys that are pretty tall and can take a mark so we'll have to look at that."

Rahilly said the Crows were still hurting from the narrow loss to the Magpies which ended in controversy.

Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson wasn't paid a free kick for high contact in the last 20 seconds which would have given him a shot at goal.

The AFL conceded umpires made an error but Rahilly said there was no point stewing on that mistake.

"It's just one of those things," he said.