SUNDAY's 56-point loss to Fremantle did not change coach Neil Craig's expectations for Adelaide in 2010, but he called on his team to play to a much higher standard.

The Crows started well to have more opportunities inside 50 than Fremantle in the first quarter and fought back well in the third, but coughed up 12 goals to two in the second and last terms to suffer a disappointing season opener at Subiaco Oval.

Craig would not make any excuses despite the Crows missing injured stars Brett Burton, Graham Johncock, Chris Knights, Andy Otten and Jason Porplyzia.

"A fair bit of it can't be excused from what I saw. The second quarter has nothing to do with personnel or structure, I didn’t like it at all. We need to tidy up on that. There were some reasonable signs in the first and third quarters, but a pretty disappointing night for us," Craig said.

"There's some things that I saw where it doesn’t matter what sort of team you have on the ground that we can't cop."

Expectations were high coming into the season for the Crows and Craig said his players must lift quickly.

"If we weren't capable we wouldn’t have those high expectations, but I know this group is capable of much better football than that," he said.

Ruckman Ivan Maric could come in to face the Sydney Swans next Sunday at AAMI Stadium despite being a travelling emergency and not playing in the SANFL this weekend. Porplyzia turned out for West Adelaide and Craig will weigh up whether to call upon him.

"He'll need some time. With the intensity the game is now played at all the players take time to adjust."