The Crows have backed a three-tall forward line to take it to an in-form Fremantle at AAMI Stadium on Saturday.
Key forward Kurt Tippett has been recalled to the team and will line up in the same attack as Taylor Walker for the first time since round 14. Utility Josh Jenkins, who will support Sam Jacobs in the ruck, has also retained his place, giving Adelaide a slightly taller look than in recent weeks.
The Freo defence will be without suspended star Luke McPharlin. He has been replaced by young backman Alex Silvagni. Coach Brenton Sanderson said he hoped Adelaide’s talls could play an important role in forecast fine conditions on Saturday.
“We’ve got three genuine talls (in attack) with Kurt, Taylor Walker and Josh Jenkins,” Sanderson said.
“We haven’t had that structure for quite a few weeks. It’ll be good to have a look at that again and hopefully we can stretch Freo a bit with our height.
“In saying that, the Dockers have really good depth. They’re in good form and it’s going to be a tough match for us.”
The Crows will also be hoping their key-position players at the other end of the ground can have an impact. NAB Rising Star nominee Daniel Talia limited Essendon forward Michael Hurley to a solitary goal last week, and Sam Shaw was also pivotal in the tense second half.
Midfielder Patrick Dangerfield was confident Talia and mentor Ben Rutten could do a similar job on Fremantle skipper Matthew Pavlich, who starred with eight goals in his side’s win over West Coast.
“People talk about Freo being a very good defensive side … but offensively they’ve got one of the best weapons in the competition at the moment in Matthew Pavlich,” he said.
“I’d imagine ‘Talz’ and ‘Truck’ (Rutten) would interchange on Pavlich. Talz has had such an outstanding season and takes the best opposition forward every week. He’s been brilliant, so I’d say he’ll get the job at some stage and it’ll be a good challenge for him because with the form Pav has been in it’ll be tough.”
Dangerfield admitted the Crows “got out of jail” against Essendon, and said his side would have to generate more efficient forward 50m entries to beat the Dockers, who have won their past five matches.
“We were starved of run out off of half-back in the first half against Essendon and they did it against us, and ran the ball out quickly,” Dangerfield said.
“All teams want to move the ball quickly and catch the defenders off guard, but it’s another thing to do it on game day. We saw on the weekend, when Taylor is having to go up against two or three opponents it’s hard for him to take those marks, so that’ll be a focus for us this week.”
