Defensive coach Darren Milburn says he’s yet to settle on a back six for the season opener against Essendon at AAMI Stadium on March 22.

The Crows must find replacements for retired veteran Michael Doughty and also dashing half-back Brodie Smith, who will miss another seven weeks with a fractured collarbone.

Norwood premiership player Luke Brown has pressed his claims for one of the vacant spots with a strong pre-season campaign. Matthew Jaensch, who has overcome post-season groin surgery, was one of Adelaide’s best performers in the Club’s trial win over Fremantle, and experienced utility Richard Tambling appears rejuvenated in his third summer at West Lakes. Rory Laird has also impressed, but as a rookie is ineligible for selection until after round 11 unless the Club places a player on the long-term injury list.

Uncapped Crows Cam Ellis-Yolmen and Kyle Hartigan (rookie), and talls Andy Otten and Luke Thompson have also received valuable game time this pre-season. Sam Shaw, who has recovered from a knee injury, will also be hoping to gain enough match fitness to be ready for round one.

 Milburn said the defenders still had time to cement a place in the team.

“We haven’t settled on a definite line-up for round one and I think that’s good in a way because it keeps most blokes on the edge,” Milburn said.

“We’ve been pretty young the last couple of games with Radar (Brent Reilly) and Truck (Ben Rutten) out of the team. It’s put more pressure on the middle-tier blokes, like Tambling, Otten, Talia and Luke Thompson. Thommo played a couple of games late in the year and showed he can play at the level.

“Once the games start, you want to have a more settled side but that’s going to depend on form and match-ups a bit like it did last year. We think we’ve got enough flexibility in our squad to cover most opposition forward lines.”

A veteran of 292 games, Milburn was recruited to join the Crows coaching team by friend and former Geelong teammate Brenton Sanderson ahead of the 2012 season. Milburn said he was feeling more comfortable entering his second year as an assistant coach.

“I’m a year in and I picked fair bit up last season. I’m still learning, but it’s definitely easier than coming in fresh last year,” he said.

“I’m really enjoying it. I think I struggled a bit in the first half of last year. I wasn’t missing the training, but once the boys were out there on the ground I felt like I was still playing.

“I’ve adjusted now and taken that step away.”

Dash on the new and emerging Crows defenders:

Luke Brown: “Luke played a few games last year and looked pretty solid. With Dogga (Doughty) retiring and Brodie Smith missing for a couple of months, there are spots there. He plays his role well. Going forward, he could play either as a lockdown defender or as a more attacking defender, who wins his own ball. He’s only young still, but he wants to learn and is an exciting player for us.”

Matthew Jaensch: “Matty Jaensch had an interrupted pre-season, but he’s got his body right now and I think you’ll see some positives come out of his games. He was in and out last year, which frustrated him and probably me too because I do rate him. He’s got an elite kick and moving forward he’s one that could really come of age this season.”

Richard Tambling: “Blinga’s form for Sturt towards the end of last year was fantastic. He didn’t do anything wrong, it was just a tough (Crows) side to break into. His attitude was fantastic. He never dropped his head and went back, played good footy and kept putting his hand up for selection. His pre-season form has been fantastic. Hopefully, he continues that over the next few weeks and shows a bit of why we recruited him. He’s one who could fill Dogga or Brodie’s role. He reads the game well and has the pace to beat opponents. He also has a real crack and isn’t scared to put his head over the footy.”

Cam Ellis-Yolmen: “Cam did a bit of training with the mids and even forward last year, but we were pretty keen to see him play down back. He’s got good height and reads the game well. He’s still working on his defensive decisions, but he’s improved and I think he could become a good half-back flanker or even a wingman because he’s got that size and understanding of the game.”

Sam Siggins: “Sam loves footy. He’s probably a bit further off, but in saying that with a year under his belt I think he’ll really develop. He reads the game pretty well. He’s still got some areas to work on, but in a year or two’s time he’ll be a good footballer for this Club.”

Rory Laird: “Rory reads the game well and knows when to attack and defend. He rarely gets beaten one-on-one and uses the ball well. He’s a quality player and I think you’ll see him around for a long time. We rate him highly. He’s a rookie, which limits his opportunities at the moment but he’s been impressive so far this pre-season.”

Kyle Hartigan: “Kyle is a bit older and more experienced than your average recruit. He’s fitted in well. He’s eager to learn and listen. He’s a big-bodied player and we think he’s got good upside. He’s a rookie, but we’ve been getting some game time into him and he hasn’t look out of place at all. Kyle knows where he’s at and what he needs to work on, but if he was given the call-up I think he’d be right to go. He’s pretty level-headed and knows what he wants to get out of games.”