Doubt hovers over AFL Crows’ Brodie Smith

Adelaide’s All Australian Brodie Smith has yet to convince coach Don Pyke that he has overcome a hamstring niggle.

Pyke says Smith will have further fitness tests to determine if he’ll play against Fremantle in Saturday night’s AFL clash.

The rebounding defender suffered hamstring tightness late in the Crows’ win against Brisbane last weekend.

“Brodie has got a little bit of work to do in the next couple of days,” Pyke told reporters on Wednesday.

“He was doing some running today and completed that really well, up to nearly max speed; so we’re pretty positive on him at the moment.

“He’ll have to do some more ball work … on Thursday or Friday and make sure he’s confident and comfortable and able to tick off some things, which our high performance guys want.”

The ladder-leading Crows will make at least one change to their side with midfielder Curtly Hampton out of the Adelaide Oval fixture because of an ankle injury.

Utility David Mackay was dropped last week but didn’t play in the state league ranks as he was the Crows’ travelling emergency, while veteran Scott Thompson, unsighted at AFL level this season, is another candidate.

“We have got to assess what the right blend and mix is for our midfield,” Pyke said.

“Obviously with Curtly out, there is an opportunity there … so we will assess that at match committee as to what the best player is to come in to that midfield group.

“… Scotty Thompson played probably his best game for the year last week (in the state league), whether we go in that direction I don’t know, we will see what match committee throws up.”

Pyke was wary of the fifth-placed Dockers, who have won six of their past seven games but have ruled out first-choice ruckman Aaron Sandilands because of a hamstring injury.

“They are, probably, if not the form team in the comp, they’re right up there,” Pyke said.

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