Adelaide Crows star forward Erin Phillips played less than half the game during her side's victory over the Blues, but coach Bec Goddard insists the co-captain's benching was only precautionary.
After a slow start to the season, the Crows' finals hopes are still alive after their 8.7 (55) to 2.8 (20) win at Norwood Oval on Saturday night.
The 35-point victory puts them just two points behind the top three sides on the ladder.
But injury concerns for Phillips took the shine off a stellar night for Adelaide, the co-captain and star forward spending the second half on the sidelines with ice on her quad.
Following the game, Goddard insisted the decision to bench Phillips for more than half the game was precautionary.
"Erin just had some awareness and when an experienced athlete like Erin says 'I've got a bit of awareness', I think you've got to listen to her and her body because we want her for the next two games," Goddard said.
"We were controlling the game, so we didn't need to leave her out there."
The reigning league best and fairest missed the first two games of the 2018 season after she was diagnosed with a minor quad strain.
She kicked four goals in round three, leading the Crows to a thrilling seven-point victory over the Western Bulldogs, their first win of the year.
The Crows will travel to Darwin to take on the Fremantle Dockers next week.
Australian Associated Press
