Crows must improve to beat Port: coach

Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson says the Crows can’t keep winning in their current AFL form.

The Crows enter Sunday’s grudge match against Port Adelaide in fifth position with three victories and a loss.

But Sanderson acknowledged the football jury remain uncertain about his club, given they’re yet to beat a finalist from last season.

“We have still got a long way to go and we’re still improving, we’re certainly not playing our best footy yet,” Sanderson said.

“We can’t keep playing the way we are and having wins.

“We need to improve.

“So we have addressed some issues this week, as we have right from our first NAB Cup game – little things that we need to keep improving on.

“We feel like we’re making small improvements but we can’t keep standing still.”

Sanderson recalled goalsneak Ian Callinan from a calf complaint for the twilight match against the Power, who have lost utility Robbie Gray to a season-ending knee injury.

“Robbie is unique,” Primus said.

“We don’t have anyone who can do what he can do forward and we have probably a couple of guys who can do what he can do on-ball.

“He’s a unique player for us, we can’t go like for like with him.

“But we have to keep looking at what is the best balance for us to generate enough ball and be dangerous for us up forward too.”

Primus said the intense rivalry with the Crows was just one part of the picture this week for Port, with just one win from four outings.

“Playing Adelaide adds a bit of spice to it,” Primus said.

“But we’re sick of playing three quarters, three quarters and a bit, and having 20 minutes of footy cost us.

“We think we are capable of winning games of footy if we can just stick at it a little bit longer … we are desperate for a win – as much as we were last week and the week before.”

Primus believed the “simple things” could deliver Port a triumph.

“The amount of pressure we place upon Adelaide – we have got to be able to place more than we have been able to in the last month,” he said.

“And we think if we can do that, attacking-wise and being able to score when we need to will look after itself.”

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