Senior Coach Matthew Nicks says Adelaide will make a handful of forced and unforced changes for its Round 21 clash with Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval this Saturday.

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Nicks confirmed Luke Pedlar will be managed this weekend, after lacing up the boots in 18 of a possible 19 games in 2023.

He said the coaching staff have been having conversations with Pedlar over the last few weeks about what was best for him, and ultimately decided it would be best to rest him this weekend.

“(We’re) just going to rejuvenate him and give him the opportunity to get back to his best,” Nicks said.

“His form has been a little bit off and some of that is the fact that he is grinding.

“Sometimes when the body is a bit banged up and bruised it is hard to perform at the level and he is a player that plays with energy and really throws himself in at the footy.

“No lack of effort, played his role on the weekend in a great team win but we want to get him back to his best.”

Nicks said exciting forward Josh Rachele is in the mix to replace Pedlar, with the 20-year-old training strongly.

Rachele has missed the past fortnight of footy, serving a two-game suspension for striking against GWS.

“Josh is obviously coming back from the suspension, and he is really running on top of the ground,” Nicks said.

“He looks like he is back to where he has played some of his best footy previously.

“He’s putting his hand up definitely.”

Adelaide will also debut defender James Borlase after fellow key back Jordon Butts was ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery on a fractured foot.

Borlase has been rewarded for his consistent form at SANFL level, where he has averaged 13.6 disposals, 6.6 marks and 3.2 rebound 50s. 

“What I am really enjoying is the fact that some of the players who weren’t getting the opportunity at AFL level are now taking that opportunity when it is given to them,” Nicks said.

“We’ll see James Borlase this weekend and I have no doubt he’ll give it everything he has got.

“He’d be one of the best key backs in the game at SANFL level, he gets his job done week in and week out.”

Adelaide plays Gold Coast at Adelaide Oval on Saturday afternoon, with the first bounce at 1:40pm.

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