Dual-sport athlete Jenna McCormick will make her AFLW debut on Friday night less than a week after playing in the W-League soccer Semi-Final.
McCormick is one of three changes to the Crows team to take on flag favourites the Western Bulldogs at Whitten Oval in Victoria.
Forward Rachael Killian returns after missing the historic season-opener because of a sore quad. Young Territorian Sophie Armitstead has also been included.
Key-position prospect Sarah Allan and midfielders Justine Mules and Monique Hollick have been squeezed out of the Crows team that beat Greater Western Sydney by 36 points last weekend. Mules and Hollick are the emergencies.
Coach Bec Goddard said difficult selection decisions had to be made in the seven-week competition.
“Normally, you’d like to see players get a couple of games before you make any changes, but that’s not the nature of this competition,” Goddard said on Thursday.
“As a coaching group, we’ve analysed the opposition. We think we’ve got the match-ups right and the girls will just concentrate on what they do best, which is to attack.”
McCormick, 22, was Adelaide’s third selection in the inaugural AFL Women’s Draft.
The talented utility missed the win over GWS to honour her commitments with Canberra United, who lost to Melbourne City in an extra-time thriller on Sunday.
Originally from Mount Gambier, McCormick was a member of the Brisbane Lions Academy squad and has also played soccer in Iceland. Goddard described McCormick as a “quality” player.
“Thanks Canberra! It’s always nice getting favours from home,” said Canberra product Goddard.
“It wasn’t great that they (Canberra United) couldn’t get to the last one (the grand final), but their loss is our gain. We’re happy to have Jenna back in the team this weekend.”
Adelaide’s first goalkicker in last month’s trial game, Rachael Killian will also bolster the full-strength squad along with Armistead, who was the 2016 NTFL Women’s Rising Star.
The Bulldogs beat Fremantle last weekend to firm as premiership fancies, but Goddard said her team would head to Melbourne full of confidence.
“I think if you take Round One in isolation, they (the Bulldogs) are definitely the team to beat,” Goddard said.
“We respect the Bulldogs … and we hope that we’re able to put a good contest to them this Friday night.
“I think the Bulldogs have a similar approach to their footy (as the Crows). They love to attack and have a nice, open, running game. I think the two (styles) are going to come head to head.
“You’ll see some fast footy, that’s for sure.”
Friday night’s game starts at 7:35pm (local) and will be broadcast live into Adelaide on 7Mate, 70 and Fox Footy. The match will also be streamed live on AFL.com.au and the AFL App. Entry to Whitten Oval is free. Gates open at 6:00pm (local).
Emotional scenes followed Adelaide’s ground breaking win, but Goddard said the players had moved on quickly.
“We recovered well on Monday night and it was straight into talking about Round Two,” she said.
“We acknowledged that we played a good game of footy on Saturday but it’s been all about Friday night this week.”
The team is –
IN: Sophie Armitstead, Rachael Killian, Jenna McCormick
OUT: Sarah Allan, Monique Hollick, Justine Mules (all omitted)
