Mark Ricciuto was a late withdrawal from Adelaide's team for Showdown 20 against Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Saturday night.

The Crows decided their captain would rest his strained hamstring for the second successive week, even though he had not appeared to be inconvenienced by it throughout Friday's training session.

Ricciuto is now expected to resume against the Kangaroos at Telstra Dome on Sunday of next week.

He was replaced in Adelaide's 22 by giant young ruckman/forward Ivan Maric, who made his AFL debut after some outstanding form with Port Adelaide Magpies in the SANFL.

From Calder Cannons, Maric, 20, 198 centimetres and 97 kilograms, was the Crows' third pick (No. 40 overall) at the AFL's NAB 2004 Draft and created a big impression in the SANFL throughout last season.

Maric, Nathan van Berlo, Rhett Biglands, and Jason Porplyzia started on Adelaide's bench in the showdown, and Port opened with Stuart Dew, Brett Ebert, Michael Pettigrew and Fabian Deluca on its bench.

Conditions were as forecast - wet and blustery.