A FRACTURED bone in James Podisiadly's back has stalled the playing career of the Adelaide veteran.

Podsiadly was injured in the club's opening SANFL game of the year against North Adelaide, limping from the field after receiving an innocuous hit to his back.

The club's head of football David Noble initially said there wasn't anything structurally wrong with Podsiadly's back and that he had suffered only "severe bruising".

But the full extent of the injury – a fractured bone in his back – was discovered last week and the Crows predict it could sideline the 33-year-old for at least a month and up to six weeks.

J-Pod no longer in Crows' best 22: Walsh

Given he falls out of contract at the end of the year, the injury is another blow to Podsiadly's chances of adding to his 104-game playing career.

Despite winning a premiership in 2010 and plying 83 games at Geelong as a forward, Podsiadly was being groomed to play in defence in 2015.

But he was stuck behind Kyle Hartigan for a place in Adelaide's starting defence and behind Josh Jenkins for a place in the attack.

Worse news was received by draftee Harry Dear, who dislocated his shoulder in the same game as Podsiadly hurt his back.

Dear will undergo a shoulder reconstruction this week.

The 18-year-old would expect to miss up to five months of football, as is the case with most shoulder reconstructions.