ADELAIDE onballer Bernie Vince says his side has set its sights on claiming a top-four scalp in the final five rounds of the season.

The Crows, who lost to league leaders St Kilda by 57 points two weeks ago, have not beaten a current top-eight side since overcoming Essendon in round 11.

Vince said he was confident the Crows could match it with Geelong at Skilled Stadium on Saturday.

“We haven’t beaten any of the teams in the top-three. Collingwood are fourth and we beat them back in round one, but we’d like to knock a top-four side like Geelong off,” Vince said.

“If things go to plan and that consistency is there over four quarters I think we can take it right up to them.”

The Crows will be bolstered by the return of veteran midfielder Tyson Edwards.

Edwards has missed the past two weeks with a hamstring strain, but trained strongly on Wednesday and has declared himself fit to take on the Cats.

Brett Burton had a lighter session as he continues his comeback from a full knee reconstruction, but will definitely play on Saturday.

Adelaide will give young defender Andy Otten until Friday to prove he’s recovered from a corked thigh.

Otten is likely to be named in the Crows’ squad on Thursday afternoon, but will need to get through training on Friday before being cleared for the trip to Geelong.

If Otten fails to recover in time draftee Phil Davis, forward Taylor Walker and in-form second-year Tony Armstrong are all in the mix for an AFL call up.

Davis, who has been named an emergency for the past fortnight, has been in solid form in the SANFL.

Walker, who was omitted from the Crows’ side after playing the opening 13 games of the season, pushed his case for a recall with a bag of seven for Norwood.

Davis would be a like-for-like replacement for Otten, but swingman Scott Stevens could be switched to defence if the coaches prefer to punt on Walker.

Vince said Walker had been working hard with the coaches to improve the defensive side of his game and also his attack on the ball.

“We’ve got guys in the side that are performing up forward at the moment, so Taylor’s just waiting for his opportunity. He’s doing everything he can and I’m sure when the opportunity arises he’ll grab it with both hands.”

Geelong will welcome back mercurial forward Steve Johnson, while skipper Tom Harley is a possible inclusion.

Key defenders Matthew Scarlett and Harry Taylor will miss with groin injuries.

Vince denied Adelaide’s firing forward line could take advantage of the undermanned Cats’ defence.

“Scarlett has been one of the best full-backs in the last few years, but Geelong is going to have players come in that are trying to prove a point to the coach because they’ve probably had limited opportunities,” he said.

“The guys coming in are probably going to be just as good as the guys going out.”

In other news, elevated rookie Brodie Martin has had surgery on his ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and will miss up to 12 months of football.