ADELAIDE will play it safe with star forward Kurt Tippett ahead of this weekend's clash with Greater Western Sydney, while veteran defender Michael Doughty will miss the match to be with his expectant wife.

Doughty informed the club six weeks ago that he wanted to be with his wife for the birth of the couple's first child and won't make the trip to Sydney.

Tippett is recovering from a concussion he suffered in a head clash with the Power's Tom Logan last Saturday night, his second such injury in three weeks.

Crows coach Brenton Sanderson said the decision to play Tippett would ultimately rest with the club's medicos.

"We have to obviously be in consultation with the medical department and they certainly sit above me," he said.

"If they say no, then I can't say yes and I wouldn't do that.

"If the docs say no then it's an easy decision, he won't play."

Tippett didn't train fully on Wednesday and, despite Sanderson expecting him to do so on Thursday, he said the key forward would still need to pass an AFL-protocol concussion test on Friday.

The first-year coach praised the League's hard line on concussion-related injuries, identifying research done in the USA to highlight its importance.

"I really like the way the AFL and the AFL medical team have taken a really strict line with this; we just can't afford to lose players through us just being big-headed as coaches and saying, 'You know what? When I played we used to keep playing with concussion,'" he said.

"It's really important we get this right.

"The research that's coming out of the 'States with depression issues with players with multiple concussions early in their careers is something we can't take lightly."

Sanderson said he wouldn't take the Giants lightly either, revealing the angriest he had been all season was against the young side in round four, when the Crows won by 46 points.

He said he "really rated" the expansion team and appreciated what Kevin Sheedy and Mark Williams were doing with the group, despite last weekend's 162-point belting at the hands of Hawthorn.

"I know they got embarrassed last week with the score, but they certainly have a crack," he said.

"They've got a real thirst for contested ball and they really do throw themselves into every contest.

"As angry as I've been this year was at half time the last time we played them.

"That's when the boys got their biggest spray for the year, but it was just because GWS' pressure at the ball was fantastic."

Harry Thring covers Adelaide news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_Harry.