Coach Brenton Sanderson says the Crows will blood a number of young players in the opening two rounds of their NAB Cup campaign, which kicks off with ‘mini-matches’ against Carlton and Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on February 26.
Clubs will be able to choose from a squad of 34 players for the opening round of the NAB Cup.
In a change to the pre-season rules, each team will be limited to two interchange players for the round one games, with another two players to act as substitutes.
Mature-bodied recruits Luke Brown, Sam Kerridge, Mitch Grigg and Tim McIntyre could be considered for selection against the Blues and Power after impressing over the pre-season, while trade-week recruits Lewis Johnston, Tom Lynch and Josh Jenkins will also be looking for a berth.
Untried midfielder Jarryd Lyons has been among the standouts in the gym, while third-year utility Sam Shaw is tipped to play a key role in defence to help cover the loss of veteran full-back Ben Rutten, who is the only player to be ruled out of Adelaide’s NAB Cup openers.
Promising midfielder Brad Crouch, who isn’t eligible for selection in the season proper until 2013, is also available to play in the pre-season competition after receiving special permission from the AFL.
The Crows will have 34 players aged 23 or under when they kick off the season proper against Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium on March 31, with 13 of those yet to make their AFL debut.
Sanderson said the Club's crop of emerging young players would be given a chance to impress in the NAB Cup.
“I have to reward the guys, who have hardly missed a session, have been animals in the gym and who have improved in their skill development,” Sanderson told afc.com.au.
“We’ll have a good look at quite a few of those young players particularly early in the NAB Cup.
“Every game we play in, we’re trying to win, but at the same time the NAB Cup is a great opportunity to try players in different positions and to try different thing with our game plan fundamentals.
“By round three and four of the competition we’d be hoping to get the structure ready for what would typically be our best 22 for round one”.
Squad sizes will be cut to 29 players for the Club’s second and third-round clashes with the Brisbane Lions at Alice Springs (Saturday, March 3) and Collingwood at AAMI Stadium (Friday, March 9), with four new players able to be introduced in the second half of each game.
These games will be full-scale matches compared to the 40-minute games of the opening round.
All matches across the first three rounds will count equally for four points and percentage, with the two best-performed teams in that period to meet in the Grand Final on Saturday, March 17.
The remaining 16 teams will play matches in various metropolitan locations across the country.
The final round of NAB Cup matches will be played under premiership season conditions (18 players on the field, three interchange and one substitute).
Several rules will also be on trial in the 2012 NAB Cup, including:
- Nine points for ‘super goals’ kicked from outside 50m
- Free-kicks given against a player, who drag the ball under an opponent
- Deliberate out of bounds given against the last team to dispose of the ball
- Ruckmen cannot make contact until the ball leaves the umpire’s hand during field bounces and throw-ins
- Boundary and goal umpires have the ability to pay free-kicks for holding or high contact at stoppages
- Official scorer is able to participate in consultation process for scoring decisions
The opening round of NAB Cup matches will be Sanderson’s first in charge of Adelaide.
The inaugural Crows squad member said he was looking forward to the games getting underway.
“Part of me wishes the games were tomorrow,” Sanderson said.
“But I know they will be here before we know it and the clock is ticking.
“There’s still a lot to do and not enough hours in the day to do them.
“We’re in a race against time at the moment.”
