Rory Atkins will make his AFL debut in Showdown XXXIX at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

Atkins and Brodie Martin, who will play just his second game of the season, have been included at the expense of omitted duo Nathan van Berlo and Cam Ellis-Yolmen. Jarryd Lyons, Sam Shaw and James Podsiadly, who were included in the squad of 25 on Thursday night, are the emergencies.

Read the AFL.com.au Preview of Showdown XXXIX

Atkins, who celebrated his 21st Birthday on Sunday, is the second Crow to debut in as many weeks and the fourth this season behind Riley Knight, Jake Lever and Jake Kelly. Recruited from the Calder Cannons with pick No.81 in the 2012 National Draft, Atkins is a left-footed wingman with neat skills.

The third-year Crow missed the opening two months of the season after injuring the PCL (Posterior Cruciate Ligament) in his knee at a pre-season training session in February. He’s impressed in five SANFL games since his return and was Adelaide’s best listed player in the loss to Central District last weekend, finishing with 29 disposals, eight marks, six inside 50ms, five clearances and a goal.

Atkins will become the 205th player to represent the Adelaide Football Club and sixth to wear the No.21 for the Crows in game for premiership points.

Interim Crows Senior Coach Scott Camporeale said Atkins’ SANFL form warranted an AFL call up.

“He (Atkins) brings something a little bit different. He’s a left-footer, (has) speed and (helps with) changing of lanes in terms of his kick,” Camporeale said.

“Rory’s done a lot of work with Richard Douglas off-field and in the way he trains and attacks the game. He’s just a great kid and deserves his opportunity.”

Check out the Stats that Matter ahead of Sunday’s clash

A travelling emergency last weekend, Martin will play his first AFL game since Round Nine.

The best player on the ground in Sunday’s Showdown will receive the Phillip Walsh Medal. The match is a Port Adelaide ‘home’ game. However, the Power and Crows have worked together on several initiatives to honour Walsh, including a joint banner and minute of applause after the game.

Fans without a ticket to the sold-out clash can watch from the Showdown live site at Elder Park. The Channel 7 big screen coverage kicks off at 1:30pm with a special Showdown episode of The Crows Show and continues into the opening bounce at 2:50pm.

Ellis-Yolmen and van Berlo will play in Adelaide’s SANFL clash with North Adelaide at Prospect Oval on Saturday. Camporeale backed van Berlo to return to his best and said he also expected Ellis-Yolmen to force his way back into the AFL team soon.

“I’m really pleased with Cam. He’s come a long way and I think he’s going to be a really important player for us. He’s showed so far this year that he can play at the level,” he said.

“With Cam, it was more that he’s only played two quarters of footy in three weeks. He played a quarter against Brisbane, missed the Geelong game and then played a quarter against West Coast, so we just need him to get some continuity and he’ll get back in (to the AFL team) pretty quickly.”

Camporeale was also pleased with the form of Podsiadly, Shaw and the returning Andy Otten, saying the trio could add versatility to the group in the latter part of the season.

“Pods has played really well at SANFL level. He’s a real target up forward for us,” he said.

“Sam Shaw has come back from a real long-term injury. Speaking to Sammy and seeing the way he’s playing and training, he’s in a real good headspace. He feels as confident as he’s ever been in his body, which is a great sign for him.

“He’s pretty flexible. We played him back in 2012 when we were playing really well. He was a real key in our backline. He can play on smalls and play on talls. He’s quick and can kick the ball. We have used him forward at times as well, and he can mark the ball.

“He’s one that we’re looking, in the back half of the year, (to give us) some flexibility along with Andy Otten, who’s coming back as well.”

Mitch Grigg and Kyle Cheney will return from injury in the game against North Adelaide, which starts at 2:10pm. Ticketed Crows members receive free entry to the Club's SANFL matches upon presentation of their membership card.

The team is:
IN: Brodie Martin, Rory Atkins
OUT: Nathan van Berlo (omitted), Cam Ellis-Yolmen (omitted)