Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney will line up as named for Thursday night’s Qualifying Final at Adelaide Oval.
The Crows and Giants have made no late changes for the opening game of the 2017 Toyota AFL Finals Series, which kicks off at 7.20pm.
Captain Taylor Walker (toe) and defender Daniel Talia (ankle) have been cleared to return from injury, while promising midfielder Hugh Greenwood will make his finals debut after missing the Club’s loss to West Coast in Round 23.
Crows vice-captain Rory Sloane will miss the match as he continues his recovery from an appendectomy.
Defender Alex Keath and speedy wingman Wayne Milera Junior also come out of the side.
Greenwood, Riley Knight, Paul Seedsman and Jake Kelly will start the match on the interchange.
Earlier, coach Don Pyke said his team could overcome the loss of Sloane, who’s played every game this year.
“We’ve said throughout the season, we’re not a side that’s going to rely on one individual,” he said.
“We’re very confident in the guys we’ve got who have come in and are in some good form.”
Pyke confirmed ruckman Sam Jacobs would take his place in the team on Thursday night.
Jacobs is grieving the loss of older brother Aaron, who passed away from illness last week.
“I’ve been speaking to Sam on a fairly regular basis around how he’s travelling,” Pyke said.
“He’s going to play and is in a really good space to be able to do that.
“It’s a tragic set of events that he’s dealing with – he and his family – but he made a pretty early decision that he was keen to play. He’s worked himself into a mind frame whereby he’s not only ready to play, but to perform. Knowing Sam, it gives him a little extra incentive for tomorrow night.
“I’m certain the guys, as they have, will get around him and support him.”
It will be the first time Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney meet in a final.
The Giants are yet to beat the Crows at Adelaide Oval.
Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney haven’t played since Round One when the Crows prevailed at home by 56 points.
“It’s 20-odd weeks ago, so it’s probably hard to draw that as a form line and both teams have changed a fair bit over that time – both in personnel and in style,” Pyke said.
Entering his second finals series as Crows coach, Pyke described September as a “whole new ball game.”
“This is why we do what we do. If we’re running laps at West Lakes in November and doing time trials and other things, it’s all based around getting to this point,” he said.
“For individuals and teams it’s about now. This month is what creates great players – great teams come out of this month.
“We get the opportunity to find out exactly how much improvement we’ve made. That starts Thursday night.”
Crows and GWS players who don’t line-up on Thursday night could play in a trial game at Football Park on Friday morning. Fans are invited to watch the match, which starts at 10:30am (ACST).
NO LATE CHANGES
IN – Taylor Walker, Daniel Talia, Hugh Greenwood
OUT – Rory Sloane (appendix), Alex Keath (omitted), Wayne Milera Junior (omitted)
