Tall defender Sam Siggins will play his first game in over two months to kick off the SANFL’s Multicultural Round against Norwood at The Parade on Friday night.
Siggins, 20, has been sidelined with a buttock injury and last played in Adelaide’s opening NAB Challenge fixture against North Melbourne in Port Lincoln.
The athletic Tasmanian missed just one game for the SANFL Crows last season. Standing 195cm, Siggins will line up at centre-half back for the Round Six clash with the reigning premiers.
Rookie ruckman Jack Osborn also returns to the team after sitting out last week’s rescheduled match against South Adelaide. The former basketballer suffered a heavy concussion in the opening term of Adelaide’s Round Four clash with Glenelg.
Former South Adelaide junior Matthew Wilson is set to make his SANFL debut with the Crows on Friday night. Meningie left-footer Justin Smart, who last played in Adelaide’s Round Two clash with North Adelaide, is the final inclusion and joins Wilson on a three-man interchange bench.
Both players were part of Adelaide’s inaugural State League development list in 2014.
Midfielders Mitch Grigg and Jarryd Lyons have been promoted to the senior side after solid showings against South Adelaide.
Impressive defender Jake Lever is poised to make his AFL debut against Gold Coast on Saturday.
Big-bodied midfielder Ben O’Donohue is the other omission.
Adelaide is still searching for its first win of the season despite a spirited performance against the in-form Panthers last weekend.
This week’s match kicks off at 7.40pm at Coopers Stadium with free entry for all Crows ticketed members upon presentation of their 2015 Membership Card. Radio station 5RPH will broadcast the game live.
All players in Round Six will wear orange bootlaces and arm bands as part of the SANFL’s Multicultural Round. Orange – the colour of harmony – will also be painted on the 50m arcs at all venues.
The round’s remaining games will all be played on Saturday afternoon, beginning with Central District and South Adelaide at Elizabeth Oval.
The third-placed Eagles host Glenelg at Woodville Oval, while Port Adelaide need to defeat Sturt to return to the top five.
Round Six concludes with West Adelaide and North Adelaide to do battle at Richmond Oval.
Adelaide’s SANFL team is:
B: Luke Carey (59), Kyle Hartigan (15), Jake Sutcliffe (54)
HB: Harrison Wigg (35), Sam Siggins (20), Sam Pfeiffer (61)
C: Matthew Spencely (50), Ian Callinan (37), Anthony Wilson (42)
HF: Mitch McGovern (41), Jack Osborn (30), Josh Wittwer (48)
F: Luke Lowden (40), Nick Mott (58), Keenan Ramsey (46)
FOL: Reilly O’Brien (43), Brodie Martin (36), Sam Kerridge (17)
INT: Matthew Wilson (49), Justin Smart (53), Dylan Ribbons (52)
IN: Siggins, Osborn, M. Wilson, Smart
OUT: Grigg, Lyons, Lever (AFL), O’Donohue (omitted)
