Rory Sloane won't play for the Crows on Friday night, but the news is better for Rory Laird.
Adelaide's captain was subbed out of last week's loss to the Magpies with a groin issue and won't feature in Showdown 51. The midfielder needed to prove his fitness in a training session on Thursday.
Channel 10 journalist Jase Kemp reported that Sloane would have played if there had been an eight-day break between the Collingwood match and the Showdown.
However, Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks confirmed that two-time best and fairest winner Rory Laird would make his return from a broken hand.
Midfielder
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
Laird was injured in a pre-season match - also against Port Adelaideย - and was expected to miss up to six weeks.
"We're pretty confident he is going to come in and be okay as far as the hand goes, there's no issues around that," senior coach Matthew Nicks told media on Thursday.
Laird had done "a fair bit" of ball-handling work at training to confirm his selection.
The two-time All-Australian has successfully made the switch to the midfield, winning the Malcolm Blight Medal in 2021, and will complement Ben Keays, Matt Crouch and Jordan Dawson on his return.
Both Adelaide and Port Adelaide are winless entering the Showdown, with the young Crows hoping to seize an opportunity against a Power side without Aliir Aliir, Robbie Gray, Charlie Dixon and Orazio Fantasia.
The Crows were disappointing against a much-improved Collingwood team in Round 2, losing by 42 points in a game marred by a bizarre evacuation notice in the second quarter, while the Power were smashed in a shock loss to the Hawks.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has left out Jeremy Finlayson, the ex-Giant dropped despite the absence of Dixon with an ankle issue.
