Extent of mystery blow to key Crow revealed after shock hospitalisation
The 25-year-old copped a knock to his sternum at some point during the second quarter, however Crows head coach Matthew Nicks post-game was still none the wiser as to what incident caused the injury.
Butts was taken down to the Marvel Stadium changerooms for a number of tests, and was having trouble breathing.
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Via a club statement, Crows High Performance Manager Darren Burgess provided an update on the 85-gamer's condition.
'Jordon underwent a thorough examination at the ground and given his breathing was inhibited, he was sent to hospital for further assessment which revealed a punctured lung. He won't travel home with the team and instead he will remain in Melbourne overnight,' Burgess said.
Subsequently, Butts will not return to Adelaide with teammates — instead staying interstate until he is cleared to travel.
'He'll spend the night here, and with the right people around him to make sure that he gets what he needs from this point on. But we won't know any more information until a specialist comes in and checks him up further,' Nicks told journalists in his post-game press conference.
Fox Footy vision at half time showed Butts walking gingerly in the Adelaide changeroom on his way to hospital, evidently in pain.
Young forward Brayden Cook also suffered a concussion after a head clash in his first game of AFL for the 2025 season, and has entered the league's concussion protocols.
Despite losing two players, the Crows secured the victory in what was the latest failing for the Western Bulldogs to stamp their premiership credentials against a top-eight side.
The Dogs came into the match with a 10-6 record, but nine of those victories had come against teams outside the top eight.
All up they had a 1-6 record entering Saturday against teams currently in the finals positions, with a lone victory over GWS to go with defeats to the likes of the Lions, Pies, Suns, Cats and Hawks.
Rather than shy away from the concerning record, the team's cheer squad dived straight off the deep end with its pre-match banner.
'They say we're flat track bullies, we think that's funny,' it said.
'Hey Crows, think you're tough? Give us your lunch money.'
If anyone was doing some bullying at Marvel Stadium, however, it was Matthew Nicks' men, who are emerging as flag fancies themselves after their sixth win from their past seven games.
For the record, that stretch includes wins over Hawthorn and the reigning premier Brisbane.
The teams traded goals in the first term before the Crows took a seven-point lead into quarter-time, gradually building that to a match-winning 27-point edge at the last change.
The Dogs kicked five goals to two in the final term, but it was too little to late for Luke Beveridge's side.
While the Dogs' final aspirations will get another stern test against Brisbane next week, the Crows are scheduled for another high-stakes clash, hosting the Gold Coast Suns at Adelaide Oval in the final match of the round.
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