The 21-year-old former Geelong Falcon is one of three changes to the Adelaide team. Luke Thompson and Taylor Walker, who has been recalled after serving a three-match suspension, replace injured pair Kurt Tippett (concussion) and Andy Otten (knee).

Coach Brenton Sanderson said Thompson had an opportunity to impress at an important stage of the season.

“Like Brad Symes and also Andy Otten last week, Luke gets his chance after a long time out of the side,” Sanderson told afc.com.au.

“Sam Shaw (eye) wasn’t quite ready to play this week, and with ‘Otto’ out of the side for several weeks, Luke gets an opportunity and if you play well you stay in the side. He’ll certainly make the most of it. Luke has great speed and can play tall and small, which is handy because we don’t quite know the make-up of the Geelong team, whether they’ll pick James Podsiadly or not.”

Sanderson said the return of Walker would help offset the loss of Tippett to an extent.

“It’s great to get Tex back. It’s been frustrating for him because he’s had to miss games even though he hasn’t been injured,” he said.

“He’s really fit and jumping out of his skin. It’s a great opportunity for him as a young player and also a leader of that forward line group to help the structure up there. Poor old Mark Bickley has done an amazing job. In the last four of five weeks, we’ve had to substitute a player in his area out of the game because of injury.

“It’s tested our depth in that area, but he’s done a great job in ensuring we’re still kicking enough goals - 124 points last week against one of the better defences in the competition is a real credit to ‘Bicks’ and his group. The smaller-type forwards have been really good under testing circumstances.”

Taylor Walker answers your Twitter questions in Fans on One, on Video

The match at Simonds Stadium will be influential midfielder Rory Sloane’s 50th game.

The Crows haven’t beaten the Cats on their home deck since round 10, 2003, when Sanderson was still part of the Geelong defence. But Sanderson was confident Adelaide could stage an upset on Saturday.

“It’s the toughest away trip because it’s so unique down there in Geelong. It’s a narrow ground and really long. With a stand missing at one end, if the breeze blows southerly it’s going to be like kicking into a wind tunnel,” he said.

“The Cats train there every day and know the ground and the conditions, but it probably suits our style of play too. We like to take the ball forward. We’re not a team that kicks backwards or overdoes the handball, so hopefully we can make it work for us too.”

The team is:

B: Luke Thompson, Ben Rutten, Michael Doughty

HB: Nathan van Berlo, Daniel Talia, Brent Reilly

C: Bernie Vince, Scott Thompson, David Mackay

HF: Jason Porplyzia, Josh Jenkins, Matt Wright

F: Richard Douglas, Taylor Walker, Ian Callinan

FOLL: Sam Jacobs, Patrick Dangerfield, Rory Sloane

INT: Graham Johncock, Jared Petrenko, Brodie Smith, Brad Symes

EMERG: Tom Lynch, Shaun McKernan, Richard Tambling

IN: Taylor Walker, Luke Thompson
OUT: Kurt Tippett (concussion), Andy Otten (knee)