The Crows will head into this afternoon's clash with Fremantle at AAMI Stadium as named yesterday.

Playing his second game for the season, Aidan Riley will start as the substitute. Fremantle has made two late changes, with star midfielder Nat Fyfe and key defender Alex Silvagni out of the team. The pair has been replaced by Dylan Roberton and Lachie Neale, who will wear the green vest.

On Friday, Kurt Tippett was withdrawn from the selected team as he continues to recover from a concussion.

Tippett trained on Friday morning after being named in the Adelaide team for the first time since round 17, but Club doctor Andrew Potter then ruled him out of Saturday’s clash with Fremantle at AAMI Stadium.

He was been replaced in the 22 by Lewis Johnston, the former Sydney Swan forward who will make his Crows debut. Shaun McKernan was elevated to the emergency list.

Crows football operations general manager Phil Harper said: “As the Club has stated all along, Kurt will only resume playing once he has been given the all clear by the Club doctor.

“While Kurt has trained extremely well in the past two weeks - and feels 100% well - the Club doctor is yet to be convinced that his recovery is fully complete, based on a variety of tests.

“It is expected that his recovery will be complete soon to allow Kurt to resume playing.

“Club doctor Andrew Potter would like to reiterate that all the testing has cleared Kurt of any long-term effects on his health.

“While this may be considered a conservative approach from the outside, the Club is determined to continue to put Kurt’s health as its prime consideration.”

On Thursday evening, it was announced David Mackay would return after a one-week absence with a toe complaint, while Jason Porplyzia was ruled out through injury.

Porplyzia (shoulder bruising) was substituted at half-time of Adelaide’s win over Essendon last weekend. The Crows were optimistic the skilful forward would recover in time to face the Dockers, but Sanderson said the Club decided not to take any unnecessary risks.

“Porps will certainly play next week,” he said.

“It’s only a minor injury, but he’s such an important player for us it’s just not worth the risk at this time of year.”

Richard Tambling, who started as the substitute in his first game of the season against the Bombers, is the other player to be left out of the side.

“Richard is really stiff,” Sanderson said.

“He only played 33 per cent game time last week, so it’s unfortunate that with Mackay back he gets squeezed out. In the minutes he played, he looked pretty good and he’ll be right in the mix for the rest of the season.”

The emergencies are Tambling, Chris Knights and McKernan.

Sanderson said Johnston, who kicked four goals for North Adelaide last weekend, was enjoying a strong second half of the season.

“Lewis is settling in well," he said.

"We traded for him as a defender, but he’s playing forward for North Adelaide and going really well. He’s a player can use at either end a bit similar to Sam Shaw."

The team is:

B: Sam Shaw, Ben Rutten, Michael Doughty

HB: Graham Johncock, Daniel Talia, Brent Reilly

C: Bernie Vince, Scott Thompson, Nathan van Berlo

HF: Rory Sloane, Taylor Walker, Matt Wright

F: Jared Petrenko, Lewis Johnston, Ian Callinan

FOLL: Sam Jacobs, Patrick Dangerfield, Richard Douglas

INT: Josh Jenkins, David Mackay, Aidan Riley, Brodie Smith

EMERG: Shaun McKernan, Chris Knights, Richard Tambling

IN: David Mackay, Lewis Johnston
OUT: Jason Porplyzia (shoulder bruising), Richard Tambling (omitted)



Adelaide hosts Fremantle 1.40pm Saturday at AAMI Stadium. Click here  for tickets and match day information.