Coach Brenton Sanderson says Adelaide wait until match day to determine how many players the Club will use in its opening-round NAB Cup matches against Carlton and Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium on Sunday.

On Thursday, the Crows named a squad of 33 players, including new recruits Sam Kerridge, Lewis Johnston, Tom Lynch, Josh Jenkins and Tim McIntyre, as well untried second-years Sam Shaw and Jarryd Lyons.

The Club had aimed to play 30 players across the two ‘mini’ matches, but Sanderson said the forecast temperature of 36 degrees for Sunday could force a re-think.

“How many players we use will depend on the heat rule and if the AFL decides to exercise it,” Sanderson told afc.com.au.

“If it’s still a certain temperature by a certain time on Sunday I think we’ll be able to have four substitutes per game instead of two.

“If that’s the case the whole squad of 33 will play, but we’ll have to wait and see.”

Kerridge, McIntyre, Shaw and Lyons could all make their Crows debut, while trade-week recruits Johnston, Lynch and Jenkins are also in line to play their first games for the Club.

Sanderson said the seven new faces had earned their opportunity.

“The new guys we’ve included in the squad have been fantastic,” he said.

“We’ve got 45 players to choose from this week and we’d love to play everyone.

“At the same time, we have to reward the players that have had great summers.

“We’ve got one eye on getting the chemistry right in certain areas of the ground, but we’re going to have a bit of a look at our depth as well.

“Some guys will play only one game and others will play both.”

Jason Porplyzia (corked calf), Chris Knights (hamstring) and Brodie Martin (hamstring), who have overcome minor injuries, were left out of the squad as a precaution.

“All three (Porplyzia, Knights and Martin) will be available for selection next week,” Sanderson said.

“If it was a regular season game, we could’ve easily picked those guys but with so many players to choose from this week there’s not much point taking any unnecessary risks.”

Promising midfielder Brad Crouch, who has received special permission to play in the NAB Cup despite not being available for AFL selection until 2013, also missed out despite impressing in Adelaide’s intra-club trial last week.

Sanderson said the talented 18-year-old and a number of other young Crows would be given a chance in the coming fortnight.

“Brad will play one of the NAB Cup games whether it’s next week or the week after,” he said.

“He’s going to go back home and spend the weekend with his family this week.

“He’s been outstanding and he’s only going to get better.

“The temptation is to play him in all the NAB Cup games, but we have to reward the players that can play throughout the season.

“Next week we play in Alice Springs and some of the guys, who missed out this week, will certainly play against the Brisbane Lions next week.

“We’ll have a look at some more first-year players and use the opportunity maybe not to take some senior players.

“We’ll see how we get through these next two games first.”

If the AFL’s heat policy isn’t applied on Sunday, teams will be limited to two interchange and two substitute players per game.

After training in the South Australian heat all summer, Sanderson said the Club wasn’t overly concerned about the forecast of more hot weather on Sunday.

“They’re only short games and we’ve got subs,” he said.

“The weather here can be brutal at times and we’ve never avoided training in the heat.

“I don’t think it’ll affect us too much.

"It (the only concern) is just that it’s a higher intensity game.

“You can never replicate full-match practice at training, so the step up in intensity might test all the teams.

“All the matches so far have been scrappy … but that’s the way it is early in the year.”