Crows close to full strength
Adelaide will field a strong side against Carlton at Visy Park on Friday
Utility Scott Stevens (concussion) has been included in the squad despite being ruled out of the game earlier in the week and Graham Johncock (ankle) and Chris Knights (groin) are also expected to play against the Blues.
Brad Moran has recovered from a back complaint but won't make the trip to Melbourne and could line up in a trial game for West Adelaide this weekend, while omitted trio Myke Cook, Luke Thompson and Matt Wright are also free to play with their SANFL clubs.
Skipper Nathan van Berlo (hamstring), Sam Jacobs (hamstring), Jared Petrenko (abdominal strain) and Moran are the only proven players missing from the team, and midfielder David Mackay said the Crows were on track to have all their players available for the start of the season proper.
"We've got a couple of guys to come back, but apart from that we've got a pretty healthy squad," he said on Wednesday.
"It's a much healthier place for us to be [compared to last pre-season] and we've planned it that way. We've made sure we'll have most of our players available for when the season starts and it looks like we're going to get that.
"Hopefully, it works out that way and we're able to get a full squad together come round one."
Draftee Brodie Smith has retained his place in the squad after another impressive performance against Fremantle at Thebarton Oval last weekend.
Not since van Berlo (11 games) in 2005 has a draftee from the under-18 system played more than 10 games in his first season at Adelaide, but Mackay said Smith was capable of bettering that achievement.
"I can see Brodie playing a lot of footy this year," Mackay said.
"He looks like he's got a lot of time out there and looks like he belongs at the level. He's been fantastic ever since he walked in the door and we've got high hopes for him.
"Hopefully, this year can be a really great year for him and he can break into the team."
Mackay played half a game against Fremantle last weekend in his return from a long lay-off with a groin injury.
The Crows fielded 28 players in that game, but restricted themselves to three on the interchange bench and one substitute in each of the four quarters, with several experienced players playing only a half.
The club is likely to take the same approach to its clash with Carlton this week and Mackay said it was important the players got used to the fitness levels required with one fewer rotation on the bench.
"The feedback from the guys was that you generally get less time off the ground," he said.
"You come off and have a shorter spell and are back on the ground a lot quicker. The rotations were still pretty high, but that recovery time when you're on the bench is reduced."
David Mackay is a $267,600 midfielder in the Toyota AFL Dream Team competition