Decision looms for uncontracted big man Shaun McKernan as three Crows delisted Adelaide forward/ruckman Shaun McKernan will make a decision about his future by the weekend. SHAUN McKernan is poised to let Adelaide know of his stay-or-go decision by the weekend. While the Crows have not set a deadline for the out of contract ruckman-forward to decide his playing future, the two parties are at a stage where they want a resolution to the drawn out saga. "We've had amicable discussions with Shaun and his management and we think we're getting close to an answer," said Adelaide list manager David Noble. We've said all along Shaun is a required player and that we want to keep him. But we're still waiting to hear if that's what he wants to do. Adelaide retained Victorian McKernan, who explored his options in the trade period, on its playing list on Wednesday while delisting Richard Tambling, Aidan Riley and rookie-listed ruckman Ben Dowdell. They joined Ian Callinan and Nick Joyce and rookies Tim McIntyre, Dylan Orval and Tim Klaosen in being cut while Bernie Vince has been traded to Melbourne and Graham Johncock has retired. Final list lodgement is at 1.30pm today but 32-gamer McKernan, 23, still has the option of finding a new club by delisting himself. Richard Tambling was delisted by the Crows on Wednesday, along with Aidan Riley and Ben Dowdell. Noble described axing the 27-year-old Tambling as one of the toughest personnel decisions he has had to make. The Crows secured the 2004 No. 4 draft pick from Richmond for its Nathan Bock compensation selection in 2010 and had high hopes for the hardrunning utility. But Tambling, famously selected by the Tigers ahead of Hawthorn stars Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead at the '04 draft, managed just 16 games in three injury-plagued seasons at West Lakes. "Delisting him was as tough as it gets because he's an outstanding talent and is a fantastic person," Noble said. But we thought his best football was as a small backman and other players like Rory Laird, Luke Brown and Ricky Henderson had gone past him. Tough midfielder Riley, 21, departs after playing just 12 games in three seasons. He managed just two matches this year after horrifically breaking an ankle against West Coast in round 15. Recruited as a NSW scholarship selection in 2010, Riley is a strong chance to be redrafted by Adelaide at next month's rookie draft. "Unfortunately we've had to make some tough decisions to make room for rookie upgrades and two picks in the national draft," Noble said. Dowdell, a 200cm ruckman and former basketballer who was rookie listed two years ago, failed to play a game for the Crows. Adelaide yesterday officially upgraded former rookies Laird and Kyle Hartigan to its senior list. The Crows, who have secured key free agent Eddie Betts from Carlton and James Podsiadly from Geelong, have selections 23 and 46 at the national draft. They can use a third pick if McKernan departs.