Don Pyke says some players may receive limited game time in Adelaide’s NAB Challenge clash with Gold Coast on Friday night in preparation for the AFL’s new rotation cap.
A limit of 90 rotations will be enforced for the first time this weekend in the final round of the NAB Challenge ahead of the rule’s official introduction in the premiership season. Clubs will still be allowed six players on an extended interchange from a playing squad of 24.
Many teams have opted to limit their own rotations at certain stages throughout the NAB Challenge to help acclimatise to the cap.
Crows coach Don Pyke said he’d use Friday night’s clash with the Suns to monitor how his players handle the change.
“It’s really important as part of our build into Round One,” Pyke said on Thursday.
“We’re going to obviously use only the 90 (rotations). We don’t want to spread them across everyone.
“We’ll probably look at, whether we use one or two (players) as a marginal interchange, or some guys may not get a lot of game time. That’s what we need to do to prepare for Round One.
“We understand that’s going to have some ramifications for some players staying on the ground longer.
“We’ll manage the way we go about it.”
Adelaide departed for Gold Coast on Thursday morning with a strong squad for the trip to Metricon Stadium. Captain Taylor Walker and fellow leaders Scott Thompson, Sam Jacobs and Daniel Talia join Eddie Betts as the inclusions for the Friday night clash.
Gold Coast also recalled several experienced names to its squad, including All Australian backman Nick Malceski, tall defenders Steven May and Rory Thompson, and key forward Tom Lynch.
The Suns defeated Brisbane by 25 points in their opening NAB Challenge clash and fell just three points shy of last year’s Grand Finalists West Coast despite fielding a young side. Gold Coast ranks first for contested marks, second in contested possessions and fifth in clearances of all clubs so far in this year’s NAB Challenge.
Pyke said it was exactly the type of test his team needs leading into the season proper.
“That’s what we’re after,” he said.
“It’s a great opportunity for the side now at Gold Coast, playing against a side who was really competitive last week against West Coast and really strong in the contested ball and that area, which was a focus for us going in.
“We look forward to that challenge in getting ready for Round One.”
Several players will also have a chance to impress in Saturday’s SANFL trial against South Adelaide at Football Park.
Brad Crouch and Rory Atkins will be out to redeem themselves after being excluded from AFL selection, while offseason recruit Troy Menzel will feature in the hit-out against the Panthers.
“He’s making progress,” Pyke said of Menzel.
“We saw some good things out of NAB 2. We’re looking for him to just go back and really use some of the things that he’s learned and he’s also developed in terms of his conditioning side at SANFL level to build some confidence.
“I’m very confident he’ll do that and press his claims shortly.”
