Adelaide assistant coach Scott Burns has heaped praise on Crows midfielder Sam Berry after another strong performance on the weekend.

Berry recorded 17 touches and an equal game-high 13 tackles on Saturday in Adelaide’s Round 16 loss to Melbourne.

Burns said Berry had been “really pleasing” throughout his 11 games in the senior side this year.

“I said to VB at the end of the game, where were you in your second year? Could you do anything that Sam is doing? And it’s (his answer was) no,” Burns said.

“Sam has still got a few areas he needs to work on but I think there was one centre bounce on the weekend, we had Berry in there with Soligo and Schoenberg and Hingey was out on a wing.

“They were excellent. We got it, we cleared it and hit Fog lace out in the forward 50.

“It’s really pleasing we’re getting the young players together and they’re starting to understand each other’s games. 

“We’ve been really pleased with how Bez has come along the last six weeks.”

Berry leads the competition for tackles per game (8.5) and sits fourth on the overall tally (with 94) despite only playing 11 games.

“He had to earn it,” Burns said.

“He had a good four-to-six weeks of SANFL before he got the opportunity again.

“There’s certainly been some growth from where he was last year - he’s starting to burst a bit from the contest himself.

“He’s going both ways and eventually, in another 30-40 games, we believe he could be a very, very good AFL midfielder.”

Adelaide will take on Hawthorn at Marvel Stadium on Sunday at 2:50pm (ACST).