No Gibbs in best Crows
ADELAIDE is prepared to roll the dice on Rory Sloane but concedes Bryce Gibbs is not in its best 22 entering its “biggest” game of the season against GWS tonight.
Crows assistant coach Michael Godden was left to console axed veteran Gibbs who arrived early and was last to leave the club’s closed training at Adelaide Oval yesterday.
Asked whether Gibbs was in Adelaide’s best 22, Godden said: “There are ebbs and flows on form so for this weekend, no.”
The return of Matt Crouch meant another inside midfielder — Gibbs — was squeezed out in what Godden rated “the toughest selection” since joining Don Pyke’s coaching staff.
“Bryce came in for Matt last week, did a really good job for us and done everything right during the week,” Godden said. “It was the toughest selection since I have been involved at the club. It is not just about the name of the player but the balance overrides that as well.”
Gibbs was hit hard at his third demotion this season having quelled brilliant Melbourne on-baller Clayton Oliver in Adelaide’s two-point win against Melbourne last Saturday night in Darwin.
Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio will be spared a tagging role from Gibbs, but Godden insists eighth-placed Adelaide has a plan to combat the third-ranked Giants’ fleet of runners.
“Most definitely, it was a very long match committee over a couple of nights, we covered off on every scenario. There are a lot of very good [GWS] players,” Godden said.
Sloane hurt his hamstring in Darwin but passed a fitness test yesterday at Adelaide Oval. Adelaide will examine its co-captain again this morning but Godden says he can handle a short turnaround before next Thursday night’s game against Richmond.
“He did his fitness test and was cleared. We will have to see how he pulls up in the morning but there is no reason he won’t play,” Godden said of Sloane. “If he is declared fit for Saturday night there is no reason he can’t turn around and play against Richmond. He did everything at full speed. The last tick of the box will be tomorrow morning.”
Contested possession king, Tasmanian Hugh Greenwood, made way for returning Richard Douglas with Adelaide requiring more speed and mobility around half forward to combat the Giants lightning rebound.
The game starts at 7.40pm.