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Crows' AFLW captain's grand final agony

Steve LarkinAAP
Adelaide AFLW captain Chelsea Randall says she is devastated to miss the grand final.
Camera IconAdelaide AFLW captain Chelsea Randall says she is devastated to miss the grand final. Credit: AAP

Adelaide captain Chelsea Randall says she's gutted at being ruled out of the AFLW grand final by the new 12-day concussion rule.

But Randall says she's determined to not let her absence distract the Crows as they seek a third premiership.

The Adelaide skipper was concussed during Saturday's preliminary final win over Melbourne.

Under law introduced this season, concussed players can't return to play for at least 12 days - meaning Randall will miss Saturday's premiership decider against Brisbane at Adelaide Oval.

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"As much as I am gutted, devastated, sad that I won't be taking the field with my teammates in the grand final this weekend, the last six months ... haven't been about me," Randall told her club's website.

"It's about this group and just how special they are ... they have proven that to themselves on the weekend they can get the job done without me."

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Randall was captain when Adelaide claimed the inaugural AFLW premiership in 2017 and shared the captaincy with Erin Phillips when the Crows took the 2019 crown.

This year, Randall took the captaincy solo again and said she was incredibly proud of her teammates.

"I don't have kids but I can imagine what it would be like watching a young son or daughter driving off as an 18-year-old and going off into the world, knowing you've done everything you possibly can to support them," she said.

"That's how I feel, like a proud parent.

"One thing I'm proud of in our group is that when an opportunity arises they embrace it and they don't take it for granted.

"They've shown that all season so I have no doubt they'll do just that (in the grand final)."

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