Sydney coach John Longmire isn’t sure what to make of the forward line of AFL rivals Adelaide.
In the past, Longmire was concerned with nullifying Taylor Walker and Kurt Tippett.
But now, the Swans have Tippett while Walker’s season ended with a knee reconstruction – making it hard for Longmire to read Adelaide’s attack ahead of Saturday’s AAMI Stadium clash.
“Their forward line is actually unpredictable, which is a challenging thing for us,” Longmire told reporters in Adelaide on Friday.
“That is the challenge in scouting them: they have shown some real versatility in their front half and some unpredictability in the way they go forward.
“So that has made it probably a bit more difficult for us to look at their forward structure and to make sure that our defensive group is really switched on to what they throw up.”
Adelaide were relieved on Friday when reigning club champion Scott Thompson and winger David Mackay passed fitness tests at a light match-eve training session.
Thompson had been battling a corked thigh while Mackay was substituted with a hip injury during Adelaide’s seven-point loss to Fremantle last weekend.
The Crows recalled young midfielder Brad Crouch, ruckman Shaun McKernan and utility Ricky Henderson, with backman Luke Brown (calf), Jarryd Lyons and Brodie Martin making way.
While the Swans enter the match as favourites, the ninth-placed Crows believe their attacking style could unsettle the reigning premier.
“I reckon the last month of footy most teams have struggled with our offence,” Crows assistant coach Scott Camporeale told reporters on Friday.
“We think we match up really well, player for player. We think we have got the game style to match them.”
Longmire agreed, saying he was also wary of Adelaide’s midfield class.
“They’re probably one of the best midfields going around, they have got some elite talent in that area,” he said.
“That will be a real challenge for us, to match Adelaide’s midfield.
“They have been in pretty good form in the last couple of weeks … I’m sure that will be a big part of where the game is won or lost.”
Longmire will debut 19-year-old Brandon Jack, the brother of Sydney co-captain Kieren, while tall utility Jesse White returns, with injured duo Lewis Jetta (shin) and Tommy Walsh (hamstring) unavailable.