Adelaide icon Tony Modra has woken after facial surgery and remains in a serious, but stable, condition in hospital.
Modra suffered facial injuries when a fallen tree branch smashed through the windshield of the truck he was driving on Thursday evening.
The Adelaide and Fremantle great had surgery on Friday.
On Saturday afternoon, the beloved football figure woke - much to the relief of the Crows and wider community.
"We're hearing positive thoughts, there's a lot of positive news coming back," Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said after his side defeated Melbourne by 17 points on Saturday afternoon.
"But we don't want to get ahead of ourselves.
"It's a tough time because he's such a huge presence around our footy club ... the energy that he brings.
"'He's one of the best footballers to play the game, but he's just incredible energy - he's got this aura about him, always smiling ... So we look forward to him recovering and getting him back."
Modra is renowned as among the most spectacular players in AFL history - he kicked 588 goals in 165 games for the Crows and Dockers between 1992-2001.
The 57-year-old, a father of two, was injured in a freak accident near his sheep and cattle farm about 90km south of Adelaide.
Nicks said the plight of the popular figure loomed large at the Crows since the accident.
"It's something that we don't hide from, that there are tough things going on in life and footy is not number one," Nicks said.
"However when we get to the oval on a game day, there's a need as a professional athlete to actually put footy number one for 120 minutes or a little bit longer than that, because you've got to prepare yourself.
"So we had that conversation. We talked openly through a number of things that are going on in life, away from what we're doing on a footy oval.
"But the moment we walk off, then our mind goes back to family and to things like Mods, and where Mods is at at the moment and how we can try and support."
