Caution damper on cosy Crows

A TOP-TWO finish is now guaranteed, but Adelaide is not taking Friday’s night’s clash with Sydney lightly having waited nearly 12 months for a crack at last year’s finals conqueror.

The Crows have not played the Swans since last year’s semi-final thrashing at the SCG, and assistant coach Scott Camporeale said it was an important test leading into this year’s finals.

“It’s a pretty important game Friday night I would have thought, after what Sydney did to us in the final,” Camporeale said. “I don’t think it will be a motivator but we learnt some valuable lessons out of that game.

“We like to think we’ve improved since that final, but Sydney is a great test. They’re probably the form team of the competition, so it’s always a tough, hard game against them. It’s always great to potentially play against teams that you may face [in finals].

“But, as I said, I think our whole game has improved. I think our contest work has improved and guys have gone to another level in that space.

“We’re still moving the ball as good as what we have been, and collectively our team defence has improved as well.”

Camporeale said Taylor Walker and Rory Sloane would be looked at by medical staff and the club was hopeful they would be cleared to play.

Sloane aggravated a knee injury he had been carrying for a few weeks in Saturday night’s win over Essendon, while Walker hurt his foot in a marking contest.

Camporeale reiterated senior coach Don Pyke’s stance that players would not be rested from the last two games and if fit to play, they would take their place in the side.

“We had a discussion . . . this morning because potentially you play this week and next, then there’s a week off, first final if you win that what does that look like?” Camporeale said.

“Without getting too far ahead of ourselves we’ve got to make sure we plan correctly and the guys are getting enough game time and training intensity to make sure they’re at the level continually.”