Crows keep stars on ice for trial

Adelaide Crows in pre-season training, from left, Nathan Van Berlo, Rory Sloane and Patrick Dangerfield. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE is not losing focus of the big picture as the Crows take a very selective approach to their pre-season line-ups.

A week after holding back nine first-choice players for the NAB Cup openers, Adelaide will bring back four for today's trial against Fremantle at AAMI Stadium - and regain midfielder Bernie Vince from the injury list.

The quartet is captain Nathan van Berlo, fellow midfielders Patrick Dangerfield and Rory Sloane and key forward Taylor Walker. And some of these may be on the field for only half the game as Adelaide takes into the account the cost of playing in 37C heat.

This keeps club champion Scott Thompson, lead ruckman Sam Jacobs, defenders Ben Rutten and Brent Reilly and forward Jason Porplyzia on ice as Adelaide learns from the lessons of last year's campaign.

With the Crows again expecting to take their premiership campaign deep into September, protecting players - in particular Jacobs - from late-season burnout has merit. It also has a scientific basis from the data collected by fitness guru Nick Poulos last season.

Adelaide expects to work 26 players in today's trial with heat - and concern for player safety - to dictate adjustments to the bench.

Coach Brenton Sanderson is not adverse to having a long auditioning list at West Lakes. A year after re-establishing Adelaide's reputation as a pacesetter, Sanderson is starting 2013 still yet to find his best line-up.

"Every player at some point is fighting for his position and trying to establish himself in the team," said Sanderson in his exclusive interview with The Advertiser and Sunday Mail.

"I'm not sure how many players who I could put in pen for our 22 or even our 18 each week.

"I'm guessing it would be six or seven that I would automatically write in each week - in their positions. The rest are in pencil.

"Form, pressure from underneath with players in the SANFL influence that.

"Players do develop a number of credits for sustained form. But in this industry, it is still pretty ruthless. You can't have two or three bad games in a row now otherwise you're going to have to do your time in the SANFL to get back.

"Our players are aware of that. They drive the standards within the group - that's why I don't have to yell much at training or during games."

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