Crows hopeful on out-of-contract pair
Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson says the club is hopeful it can keep both Kurt Tippett and Patrick Dangerfield in free agency
ADELAIDE coach Brenton Sanderson says the club would be shattered if it lost its two soon-to-be out of contract stars Patrick Dangerfield and Kurt Tippett.
The pair are yet to re-sign with the Crows and both would command strong interest from rival clubs.
GWS coach Kevin Sheedy recently predicted 24-year-old Tippett would become as damaging a player as Essendon great Paul Salmon, while Dangerfield (22) enjoyed a break-out 39-disposal game against the Power last Sunday.
Sanderson said that to lose them both would send the Crows back to square one.
"If they both left it'd be shattering for the footy club, we'd have to start again in some areas," Sanderson said.
"It'd be very important for them both to stay.
"Any young player at the footy club, they just want to see that we're providing a platform to improve and be at a club that's consistently involved in playing finals footy.
"Hopefully that's the path that we're taking."
Dangerfield said after last Sunday's Showdown that he would wait for the season to unfold before deciding whether he'd stay a Crow in 2013, while a return home to Queensland for Tippett could be enticing.
But Sanderson said to expect some "good signings" in the near future at West Lakes, although he wouldn't reveal exactly who would confirm their loyalty.
"Without jumping the gun, I think you'll see some good signings over the next few weeks," he said.
"Whether that's this week, next week or in the next six weeks…we'll slowly chip away and I think our members and our supporters will be really happy to see some important signings down the track."
Sanderson's comments came ahead of the club's crucial match against the Swans at the SCG on Saturday night.
Crows' skipper Nathan van Berlo has been declared fit to play after overcoming a corked thigh, while influential forward Jason Porplyzia is likely to be recalled after missing last Sunday's Showdown with a strained deltoid muscle.
"Porplyzia should come back into the side, he ticked all the boxes today… expect one or two changes," Sanderson said.
With the Swans and Crows sitting one and two in terms of contested possession, Sanderson said his side shouldn't be scared of facing a team that is being talked up as a premiership favourite.
The Swans are undefeated heading into round six and beat Hawthorn by 37 points last week, after the Hawks embarrassed the Crows by 56 points in round three.
"It suits us to play a contested brand of footy, that's how we like it at the moment, so it shouldn't be a game that we fear," he said.
"We won't change the way we play too much against the Swans."
While admitting the Swans were hard to beat at contested football, Sanderson said their outside game was also ominous and pointed to the likes of Lewis Jetta as a player who could destroy a side with his blistering pace.
"It doesn't matter who you are, sometimes you can't keep up with Jetta if he gets time and space," he said.
"You can't let him go…we've got some guys with speed as well…but you can't give him too much time and space, particularly at a small ground like the SCG."
Harry Thring covers Adelaide news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.