But not even he could have imagined just how short term it would be.

There's a fair chance the 32-year-old Old Launcestonians recruit has played his last game of competitive football after rupturing his achilles tendon in an innocuous incident on Saturday.

Returning from over two years on the sidelines with hip-related injuries in round one, the former Tassie Devils VFL player kicked five goals and felt on top of the world, but as he said "a week is a long time in footy."

Feeling tightness in his lower-calf area in the Blues' clash against Bracknell, Crawford benched himself late in the second quarter, having had no injuries to his achilles in the past.

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After some rehabilitation during the half-time break and a quick chat to coach Laine Cleaver, he started the third quarter, as his side were just 13 points in arrears of the premier division side.

"I managed to kick a goal early in the third and it felt alright and at the 10-minute mark of the third, it started to feel tight again," he said.

"Literally the next play, I went to change direction and it snapped, and my opponent, even he said to one of his teammates that he heard it go.

"It was like the most excruciating pain I've ever had in my life. It was exactly what people talk about when snapping an achilles - you don't really understand it until it happens to you or someone that you're next to.

Describing the pain as like a knife to the back of his calf, Crawford is looking at surgery as early as this week before a lengthy rehabilitation period - something he is all too familiar with after his hip replacement in December.

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"I've had a few friends, ex-teammates and opponents of mine that have reached out and gone through the same operation and are going to help and guide me through the rehab which is nice of them.

"I'll just get focused on that and move forward and obviously, I still have that passion for footy and I was moving into coaching before I had the hip operation, so it might be something that I entertain in the next year or so."

Since his painful experience on Saturday, Crawford's phone has been lit up with messages from past teammates and opponents wishing him well, which has slightly helped numb the extent of the situation.

"I've been really grateful for all the messages and support from so many people, both here and interstate.

"It's what footy does, it brings people together and makes friendships far and wide, so it's been really overwhelming but I'm pretty devastated about the whole thing to be honest."