Troy Menzel will make his Crows debut in Sunday’s NAB Challenge clash with Fremantle.
Menzel, 21, is one of five inclusions in Adelaide’s team to tackle the Dockers in Mount Barker, WA.
The clever forward joined the Club in last year’s AFL Trade Period. He played 40 games in three seasons with Carlton.
Rory Sloane will play his first game of 2016 after sitting out the Club’s pre-season opener. Rookie Reilly O’Brien, who impressed in two NAB Challenge games last year, is set to lead the ruck in the absence of Sam Jacobs.
Defenders Sam Shaw and Jake Kelly will also make their first appearances of the year.
Second-year Crows Harrison Wigg and Luke Lowden, and former GWS utility Curtly Hampton, who were named in a squad of 29 on Thursday, were left out of the final team and lined up in Adelaide's SANFL trial on Saturday morning.
Jacobs, Scott Thompson, Daniel Talia, Eddie Betts and captain Taylor Walker won’t play at any level this weekend as part of their management ahead of the season proper.
The Club is continuing its ultra-conservative approach with Brad Crouch’s return to playing. Crouch, who is recovering from adductor soreness, will complete a solid training session alongside other non-playing teammates over the weekend instead of making the trip to WA.
Unfortunately, members won’t be able to scan in at the gate at Sounness Oval on Sunday unless they have registered for a ticket. The ground has reached its capacity of 5,000 in pre-sale tickets and member registrations.
The match starts at 1:40pm (WST) and will be broadcast live on Fox Footy and the AFL Live App, which is offering a free trial. SA radio station FIVEaa will also be calling the game. You can follow the game on Twitter via the Club’s official account @Adelaide_FC.
IN
Rory Sloane
Troy Menzel
Sam Shaw
Jake Kelly
Reilly O’Brien
OUT
Scott Thompson
Daniel Talia
Taylor Walker
Eddie Betts
Sam Jacobs
The team is:
4. Josh Jenkins
6. Jake Lever
7. Nathan van Berlo
8. Mitch Grigg
9. Rory Sloane
11. Paul Seedsman
14. David Mackay
15. Kyle Hartigan
16. Luke Brown
21. Rory Atkins
25. Kyle Cheney
26. Richard Douglas
27. Tom Lynch
28. Cam Ellis-Yolmen
29. Rory Laird
30. Wayne Milera
31. Jarryd Lyons
32. Troy Menzel
33. Brodie Smith
34. Sam Shaw
36. Dean Gore
38. Harry Dear
41. Mitch McGovern
43. Reilly O’Brien
44. Matt Crouch
47. Jake Kelly
