The next step in Adelaide's AFL premiership push will serve as a welcome distraction for Ben Griscti as the Adelaide 36ers centre recovers from a fractured neck.
Sixers teammates and staff are desperate to support Griscti, who will be glued to his television when the Crows host Collingwood in Thursday night's qualifying final.
"He's one of our brothers and we'll do anything we can do to rally around our brother, even if it's just go over and watch TV," Sixers star Dejan Vasiljevic told AAP.
"I know he's a big Adelaide Crows supporter, so he's got a big game to watch on Thursday night.
"We've just got to rally around him and whatever he needs, we'll be there for him."
Griscti will miss the start of the NBL season after scans this week revealed a fractured vertebrae in his neck.
The 23-year-old was injured when a backboard collapsed during the 36ers' shoot-around last Saturday before a pre-season fixture in Canberra.
The NBL has launched an investigation into the incident at the AIS Arena after a teammate's dunk broke the backboard and brought the structure down.
"It could've been avoidable but shit happens in life," Vasiljevic said.
"I just felt bad for the young fella because obviously you don't expect something like that to happen.
"He's in good spirits, he's back home in Adelaide.
"We'll miss him for the start of the season but we'll just rally around him and make sure he's in a good mental space.
"He'll come around practices and we've just got to make sure he's doing well."
Sixers players and staff feared Griscti had broken his neck or back in the minutes after his accident.
Vasiljevic stayed with his younger teammate as they waited more than two hours for an ambulance to arrive.
The under-strength Sixers were narrowly beaten 97-95 by Tasmania that night, ending the NBL Blitz tournament with a 1-1 record.
"You just don't want it to happen to anyone. I stuck with him through the whole process," Vasiljevic said.
"Mentally I was a bit off during the game but I was just making sure his health and wellbeing is the No.1 priority, just like every other player on my team."
Griscti, a South Australian-born big-man, made his NBL debut last year and is part of a new-look Sixers roster that is expected to challenge for the championship this season.