Adelaide’s Thompson fit for AFL opener

Dual club champion Scott Thompson is in the frame for Adelaide’s AFL season-opener despite not being sighted in pre-season games.

The 32-year-old missed all pre-season fixtures because of a hamstring injury but is available for the Crows’ home game against North Melbourne on Sunday.

“It will be up to the coaches whether they are comfortable with the work he has done,” Adelaide ruckman Sam Jacobs told reporters on Monday.

The Crows also expect onballer Sam Kerridge to press for selection after recovering from a hamstring strain suffered two weeks ago.

The presence of both players would boost an Adelaide midfield missing emerging ball-winner Brad Crouch, sidelined for two months with a broken foot.

Thompson, a veteran of 264 AFL games, strained a hamstring earlier this month in what club medicos described as a minor injury.

“Thommo is obviously a pretty important player to us,” Jacobs said.

“He has played 16 years so I reckon he has got enough pre-seasons under his belt.

“He is obviously a real professional and always looks after his body so I have got no doubt he can come in and play his role.”

Sunday’s Adelaide Oval encounter against the Kangaroos will be Phil Walsh’s first premiership match as Crows coach.

And Jacobs said Walsh had deliberately kept the bulk of the squad on a selection edge.

“There would be a few guys who are pretty anxious,” he said.

“That has been the strength of our training, because you have got so many blokes vying for spots that every session is another chance to impress Walshy and the coaches.”

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