Adelaide big guns locked and loaded

Adelaide gun Scott Thompson is ready to return. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE is ready to load all its big guns again.

The Crows are expected to put all of their first-choice players, bar injured midfielder-defender Brodie Smith, in action in the NAB Cup clash with the Cats in Geelong on Saturday.

This will bring club champion Scott Thompson, lead ruckman Sam Jacobs and defenders Ben Rutten and Brent Reilly into their first pre-season hit-outs.

And it will squeeze out the young Crows - such as rookie-listed defender Rory Laird - after impressive auditions in the past fortnight, including Saturday's five-point win against Fremantle in the noon trial at AAMI Stadium.

More difficult to dismiss may be young midfielders Aidan Riley and Brad Crouch, particularly when the AFL is allowing extended benches (now six rather than the regulation four).

Adelaide assistant coach Matthew Clarke yesterday reaffirmed the Crows need to settle a line-up within their remaining two Cup games against the Cats and Carlton at home on Friday week.

Adelaide will open the AFL premiership season hosting Essendon on Friday, March 22.

"We have two games with just the 22 (actually 24) and only 20 rotations in each quarter, so the guys who play in the next fortnight are going to play full games at full intensity," said Clarke.

Telling in Adelaide's selection on Thursday night will be which young Crows have forced themselves into coach Brenton Sanderson's planning against the Bombers.

"Aidan Riley is a genuine inside midfielder. But to get a game as an inside midfielder in our team you have to get past Scott Thompson, Patrick Dangerfield and Rory Sloane," Clarke said.

"Brad Crouch has had a run in the past fortnight," added Clarke of the midfielder Adelaide had to hold on ice last year to meet AFL rules.

"He is starting to show some of the skill set we think he is going to display at the next level, but he is really young (18) and there already is a lot of (external) pressure on him because of the way he was selected for our club.

"So we need to be pretty patient with him."

Adelaide carefully managed its 30-man squad in the heat on Saturday when 12 players were restricted to half the game against the impressive 25-man Dockers.

Among those who were playing their first half of competitive football this season were key forward Taylor Walker, captain Nathan van Berlo, fellow midfielder Sloane and Bernie Vince.

The Crows reported no injuries from the trial.

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