Sydney Swans champion Adam Goodes, right, celebrates a goal with Lewis Jetta. Source: News Limited
ADELAIDE has identified champion Swan Adam Goodes as a key threat ahead of today's match against Sydney at West Lakes, and will use lessons learnt from the loss to Fremantle to add steel to its midfield.
Goodes is a challenge for the Crows in that he is too nimble for the talks and can outmark the smalls, making him a player they have to use more than one player to deal with.
The threat of the dual Brownlow medallist comes as Adelaide seeks to recover from its midfield being bashed up by Fremantle in a game-destroying second quarter last week, and there is not one obvious player who can run with Goodes.
Goodes is likely to be minded by Ricky Henderson when in the midfield and Daniel Talia when he is in attack.
Goodes has been embroiled in two hurtful racial controversies since the Swans' round nine match against Collingwood but his form has not been affected; he remains one of the game's top-drawer players and one for whom the Crows will make plans.
Crows midfield coach Scott Camporeale picked him out as an obvious hurdle as Adelaide completed its final training session at West Lakes yesterday.
"I don't think you single any of them out they're a premiership midfield and a lot of those guys play a variety of roles,'' Camporeale said.
"But from a damage point of view, Goodes is obviously one so he's the one we probably need to keep an eye on.''
Adelaide had an ideal dress rehearsal against Fremantle, because the Dockers are similar to the Swans in their methods.
Dockers coach Ross Lyon and Swans coach John Longmire both worked in the same system under premiership coach Paul Roos and while they have both added a personal touch to their teams, many of the foundation principles behind the Bloods are still there.
Camporeale said the Crows had looked closely at the loss to Fremantle, after which midfielder Rory Sloane conceded the Adelaide midfield was smashed in the second quarter once the Dockers managed to get ``inside them'' (between the Crows and the ruck contest).
"What we learnt out of that is that we want to play the game in our front half,'' Camporeale said.
"We've addressed that as a midfield group and it's about consistency.
"You can't win games of footy just playing spasmodically.''
On a bright note for the Crows, Adelaide midfielders Scott Thompson and David Mackay were cleared to play against Sydney after passing fitness tests at West Lakes yesterday.
There were concerns over both after Thompson suffered a corked thigh and Mackay a hip injury in the Crows' seven-point loss to Fremantle last week, which led the Crows to have their emergency players train with the main group during the final session before the game.
Mackay struggled through last week's match and not even two painkilling jabs could help him play to the standards of which he is used to playing.
But midfield coach Scott Camporeale was confident both had recovered well enough and would suit up against the Swans. The final call will rest with the players in the hours leading up to the game.
"They're both fine,'' Camporeale said.
"We're confident. Obviously we'll always check in the morning anyway, so we'll wait and see how they pull up after today. They'll get treatment today and I think they'll be fine.
"They know their own bodies better than what we do - they're both experienced players - so hopeful they'll make a really good call.''
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