ADELAIDE skipper Simon Goodwin will miss a third consecutive game because of a knee injury.

Goodwin, 32, strained a medial ligament in the win over Essendon in round 11.

The club was optimistic Goodwin would miss little football and was on the verge of naming the four-time All-Australian for the round 12 clash with North Melbourne.

However, Goodwin is struggling to take the next step from running in straight lines to more dynamic and strenuous movements.

Goodwin has now been sidelined for four weeks including the mid-season break.

Ruckman Ivan Maric said it was disappointing not to have the captain available for Saturday night’s clash with Richmond on the Gold Coast.

“Wherever Goody plays - forward, back or midfield - you know he’s going to do a job and in the last quarter when it’s crunch time, you’d put him in the middle every day of the week,” Maric said.

Goodwin will not join his teammates for Wednesday night’s main training session, but veteran Brett Burton will.

Burton, who has recovered from a full knee reconstruction, was expected to play in the SANFL last weekend, but pulled out because of hamstring soreness.

The high-flying veteran will line-up in the SANFL system this week provided he gets through training.

In other injury news, ruckman Brad Moran has had surgery on his knee.

Moran, who was just starting to hit good form, ruptured his posterior cruciate ligament in the win over the Sydney Swans last weekend.

Maric said the injury was a cruel blow for the unlucky Englishman.

“I was chatting to him on Monday before he had the scan and he was saying how he was hoping to get up this week and play in his home state,” Maric said.

“For him to get that news on Monday afternoon…he’s pretty shattered, especially after playing a fantastic game against a really good ruckman.”

Moran is likely to start running in six weeks and hasn’t ruled out a return to football this season.