Adelaide Crows on the hunt for Sydney Swans - Herald Sun

Adelaide Crows coach Brenton Sanderson says winning games at home is vital for his team heading into the second half of the season. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser

ADELAIDE is recasting itself to be a "hunter" again and has chosen the biggest prize in AFL football, premier Sydney, as the reward for this new attitude.

"We're looking for that next big scalp and we have that chance with Sydney," said Adelaide lead ruckman Sam Jacobs after the Crows tumbled out of the top eight with a seven-point loss to Fremantle on Saturday.

Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson said: "Fremantle, because we beat them last year three times, came here to hunt us. Now, after Sydney beat us here in a final last year, it becomes critical we hunt them."

In stark contrast to last season when the Crows were hunting new respect, Adelaide has a 0-4 win-loss record against teams currently in the AFL top eight. Last year, the Crows rebuilt their image with a 3-2 strike rate against AFL pacesetters in the first half of the season.

"In the past month, we have matched it (but lost to) Hawthorn and now Fremantle," said Adelaide defence coach Darren Milburn.

"We need a big scalp and we need to win the close games . . . last year we would win the close ones."

At 5-5 and ranked ninth, Adelaide is appearing as an "also ran" rather than a pacesetter.

The Crows will host the top-four ranked Swans at AAMI Stadium in Saturday's twilight game, starting at 4.10pm.

The match will mark the last game of key forward Kurt Tippett's 11-match suspension for salary cap and draft breaches exposed in his contract with Adelaide during his messy defection to the Swans.

Remarkably, Adelaide would seem more likely to create an upset if the draw had the game at the SCG, where the Crows have beaten the Swans in four games since 2005.

They have lost two of the past three clashes with the Swans at AAMI Stadium, including the 2012 qualifying final.

Adelaide has a 2-4 win-loss record at West Lakes this season.

"And we're three from four on the road . . . we have to start winning our home games; they are really important for us," Sanderson said. "Sydney is a big one."

Adelaide midfielder David Mackay is still in contention to play despite being subbed out of the loss to the Dockers in the third term. He took a knock to a hip in the second term.

"It was a heavy collision on the hip bone and he had a couple of injections to try to get rid of the pain. But he just could not go in the third quarter," Sanderson said. "I don't think it will be an injury that will keep him out."

Adelaide opted to remove back-up ruckman Shaun McKernan from the line-up because of the wet conditions, but his return seems certain with the need to deal with Sydney's ruck battery.

Utility Ricky Henderson appears closer to a recall.