Crows can bank on Brown

ADELAIDE believes the player it calls “The Glove” could be a perfect fit for Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield in Friday night’s preliminary final.

Unsung defender Luke Brown is among the candidates to stand Dangerfield should the Cat line up in attack in the Adelaide Oval final.

“We call him The Glove because he just doesn’t give you any space,” Adelaide defender Rory Laird said of Brown yesterday.

“He takes the most dangerous small forward for the opposition side and it just seems to happen every week that they don’t get the ball and don’t kick any goals.”

Ex-Crow Dangerfield’s former housemate in Adelaide, Jake Kelly, and taller backman Kyle Hartigan were other options to quell the Brownlow medallist, who kicked four opening-half goals in Geelong’s semi-final win against Sydney.

But Laird said the Crows would also plan for Dangerfield to play in his customary midfield role.

“Wherever he plays, we will be ready for it. I think we can cover him in both spots of the ground,” Laird said.

The Crows expect to be forced to make two changes to their victorious qualifying final side, with Brodie Smith (knee) out for the season and Mitch McGovern straining a hamstring at training on Saturday.

Vice-captain Rory Sloane (appendicitis) will return with versatile Andy Otten among the potential replacements for McGovern, who trained away from the main Crows squad yesterday.

“He (McGovern) is tracking along quite nicely but pretty doubtful, so we have put him in the hands of our medical staff,” Laird said.

“Obviously, it’s very disappointing for him personally. But he understands that there’s a bigger picture, and that is the week after.”