Adelaide completed its pre-season matches with an AAMI Community Series game against Fremantle at Mandurah’s Rushton Park on Saturday.

The Crows led by 12 points midway through the final term but the Dockers hit back to beat Adelaide by 16 points.

Adelaide changed up its coaching structure for its two pre-season games, with Murray Davis taking control against Port Adelaide and Fremantle.

Having Davis step into the role of Senior Coach for the two trial games allowed Matthew Nicks to take in a different perspective and provide the following takeaways after the game against Fremantle.

Crows’ depth in good position

Adelaide was without its experienced midfield brigade against Fremantle, with Sam Berry (managed), Isaac Cumming, James Peatling, and Izak Rankine (low-grade hamstring) all on the sidelines due to injuries.

Forward Riley Thilthorpe was also a late withdrawal due to back soreness and the Club opting to take a “no risk” approach with Round One just a fortnight away.

Nicks said he was pleased to see those with fewer games under their belts step up and perform.

“It was good to see our group, considering our experience levels and our opponents, I thought our guys fought really well,” Nicks said.

“We had a very inexperienced midfield group playing, from a games point-of-view against  (Andy) Brayshaw, (Caleb) Sarong and (Hayden) Young, and obviously we have huge respect for those guys and what they’ve done to this point.

“But I thought our guys did well, I thought we battled well in there with Charlie Edwards, Billy Dowling, even from a rucks point-of-view, we had two accomplished rucks and our guys did well.

“Toby Murray played well through there, as did Lachie McAndrew. In the end it was a great look at our depth that we know we are going to need during the season.”

Contending with tough conditions at Rushton Park

Adelaide and Fremantle were forced to contend with a strong breeze - the Crows kicked with it in the first term, while the Dockers used the wind to their advantage in the second.

Nicks said the game style had to be adjusted to suit the conditions, and the breeze made aspects a little more challenging.

“It was a five-six-goal breeze, almost,” Nicks said.

“It was really solid, you could see that when Nick (Murray) kicked the ball in and it cleared the centre.

“It meant that you had to play a number of different styles with the ball in hamd, and I guess the risk you took going against the breeze versus what you were able to do with it.

“I thought both teams managed it reasonably well tactically, it wasn’t like quarters blew out going with the wind.”

Nicks on what next fortnight looks like

Adelaide now has two weeks until it starts its 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season, opening with a blockbuster match against Collingwood at the MCG.

Players will still continue to be put through their paces with training sessions, and one eye will be kept on those teams playing in Opening Round.

“As far as hit-outs go and playing actual opposition (in pre-season), we’ve finished that, so we’ll still have a pretty solid session next Friday, which is Opening Round where a number of teams will play,” Nicks said.

“We’ll definitely be watching Opening Round, our opponents play on the ground we are going to play against them.

“We’ll have a look at both sides to see where they’re at and what style they’re playing, and areas we will need to combat when we do come up against them the week after.”

Pre-season overview

After almost four months of pre-season, there’s now just two weeks until the Crows’ campaign gets underway.

The game against Fremantle culminated Adelaide’s competitive pre-season hit-outs against an opposition and Nicks said he was proud of how his players had attacked the summer.

He said that would hold them in good stead for the 2026 season.

“We know our guys are in a really good position physically, and this year I’d say we are as good mentally, there’s a real belief in our group, and there’s a real cohesion there, and a real trust,” Nicks said.

“We’ve got a few small niggles here and there, but we are pretty confident we’ll have a lot of those guys available for Round One.

“It’s been a pretty solid pre-season.”

Adelaide faces Collingwood in Round One at the MCG on Saturday, March 14.

The Crows will play their first home game of 2026 against the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval on Friday, March 20.

Tickets available here.