No ifs or Butts about it, Adelaide’s young guns are determined to step up in the defence.

With Daniel Talia and Tom Doedee both on the road to recovery from respective injuries, the back line could have been looking shaky. 

But Senior Assistant Coach Scott Burns said intense preseason work and commitment from some of the Crows’ younger players have been paying off. 

Burns hailed the efforts of 20-year-old Jordon Butts, who made his AFL debut in Round 13 last year. 

“Tals (Daniel Talia) isn’t there but that happens, we’re not going to have our most senior 22 week-in, week-out,” Burns said. 

“Sometimes young fellas are going to get the opportunity and they’ve gotta step up… and Buttsy’s certainly done that.”

Butts was thrown into the fire against powerhouse Port Adelaide forward Charlie Dixon at last weekend’s practice match. 

But Burns said the young defender held his own.

“Sometimes you just gotta get it done… everyone who watched the game last week would’ve seen he’s not an easy defender to beat,” he said. 

“While Charlie (Dixon) kicked a few goals, I bet he’d be sitting at home after the game going, ‘He’s not easy to get a kick on’.”

Burns was confident Adelaide’s back line would be strong no matter the injury list. 

“It’s a work in progress but it’s been really positive with the ways the boys have attacked training,” he said. 

“We’re really confident there’s certainly improvement from last season.”

However, he said Tom Doedee was working hard toward an AFL return. 

“It’s been really impressive with Tom the past week and a half, getting up and getting fit again… he’s looking really explosive in his legs,” he said. 

Doedee is set to play in his first competitive hitout in almost nine months in Adelaide’s SANFL trial match squad to take on Norwood this Saturday.

Adelaide’s squad for Sunday’s Community Series clash with Port Adelaide will be announced on Saturday at 5.50pm ACDT. 

The Crows will face the Power at Noarlunga at 3.40pm ACDT at Flinders University Stadium (Noarlunga Oval).