Adelaide Senior Coach Matthew Clarke knows the battle against Fremantle on Saturday is one many have been looking forward to.
It will be a top-of-the-table clash with two of the best midfields in the competition going head-to-head.
But the coach is refusing to be swept up in the significance of the game, despite a win likely to secure a finals berth.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Clarke said his side was taking the season one game at a time and was fully focused on this weekend’s tough clash.
“We want to make finals and we’ve put ourselves in a good position to be able to qualify,” Clarke said.
“We’d love to be able to do that this weekend but there’s still a fair way to go.
“There’s still a lot to play out and if you look at the top eight sides, they’re still well in the hunt and it’s very even.
“In terms of the strategy or the tactics (for this week) is, when they’ve got it (the ball) we’ll defend hard and when we’ve got it we’ll attack hard.”
Clarke expected the game to be won or lost in the midfield and said the Crows were wary of Fremantle’s strong on-ballers.
But he was confident Adelaide’s midfielders were up to the challenge.
“Clearly they’ve got some unbelievably good players and it’s going to be a great challenge,” Clarke said.
“Kiara Bowers coming back after a couple of weeks out with suspension, that’s a massive in for them.
“Dayna East coming in has looked good,( Gabby) O'Sullivan and then Hayley Miller as the captain has been really influential.
“But to target any one player would be potentially fought with danger because they’ve got depth.
“Equally we’ve got some pretty handy players through that area of the ground and in every game that piece of the puzzle is a really significant one.
“All things being equal, you’d imagine it’s going to be tight and fiercely contested and that’s what we look forward to.”
Adelaide will wear its Indigenous guernsey as part of the League's Indigenous Round.
Clarke said the players were proud to pull on the Club’s Indigenous guernsey again after wearing it as a clash jumper a few times already this season.
“We are rapt to have our Indigenous guernsey as our away strip and it’s a pretty flash one,” Clarke said.
“Every week we wear it we get to recognise and celebrate that rich history that we have as a Club in terms of the contribution of our Indigenous players over the journey.
“I think it’s such an important thing for us to do as a Club and as a community, just to increase awareness and highlight the fact there’s such a proud history there connected to our game.”
Adelaide takes on Fremantle at Fremantle Oval, WA, on Saturday at 2.40pm (ACDT).
