Injured Crow Rory Sloane says he knew immediately that he’d fractured his cheekbone again when he clashed with Brisbane Lions midfielder Mitch Robinson at the Gabba on Saturday night.

Sloane, 25, was subbed out of the game following the heavy collision in the third quarter. The hard-running onballer had scans on Monday, which confirmed another fracture of his left cheekbone. It’s the same injury he sustained against Gold Coast in Round Six.

“I knew straight away. I put my hand to my face … and as soon as I felt it, it had the same dent as last time,” Sloane told the Triple M Rush Hour.

“It frustrated me at the start because I was like, could I have done anything differently? But bones heal and calcify after six weeks and it’s been nearly seven weeks.

“I think it’s just one of those unlucky things. It (the hit) got me flush in the same spot and it (my cheekbone) has popped back in.”

Sloane missed four weeks after fracturing his cheekbone earlier this season.

He’ll consult a specialist in the coming days to determine how long he’ll spend on the sidelines this time around.

“It’s basically the same injury, so I’m hoping it’s the same time frame,” he said.

“The good thing about the injury is that I can still run … and do weights after the bone is set back in place.

“I’ll be able to train I just won’t be able to do the contact stuff, which is the most enjoyable part of football.”

Several emerging Crows have put their hands up to replace Sloane in the senior team.

Jarryd Lyons, Riley Knight and Rory Atkins were among Adelaide’s best players in the Club’s SANFL win over Port Magpies on Sunday. Sloane backed one of the young Crows to step up against Geelong on Saturday.

 “Jarryd Lyons has been playing really well in the SANFL. Riley Knight flew back from Brisbane on the day of the (SANFL) game and had a good game as well,” he said.

“We’ve got some young guys who are in form and the State League guys had a good win. I’m sure someone will step up and slot into my spot.”